Knights In Various Armour
by Kiva Taliana
Summary: Following on from 'Knight In Shining Armour'.  Arthur and Merlin move on with their lives and bring people along with them. This story does not work in a straight timeline.  Dates will shift between months and will be labelled to follow the storyline.
1. Chapter 1

**_November 2010_**

Arthur let himself into the house early. He had made sure he could have this time, since he and Merlin had hardly had a moment to themselves. Since all the fostering application and dealing with that and Merlin's exams coming up meaning he had to do nothing but study. Arthur had handed over management of the club to Morgana, and she was on her own tonight. She had assured Arthur there would be nothing to worry about. Arthur had planned a meal out, perhaps some romantic walking, he had the flowers tucked on his left arm and Merlin would be…

Running down the stairs looking frantic.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry, I think I killed your spreadsheet. I didn't mean to but the computer said it had shut down without being shut down! No wait, that was wrong, it was turned off without being shut down and then it brought up your figures and I tried to save it but I think I did the wrong thing. I'm so sorry!"

Arthur blinked because he didn't care about spreadsheets, the only use they appeared to have was turning Merlin into such a dishevelled state that he was utterly shagable. But Arthur probably couldn't spread Merlin until he had sorted the sheets. Arthur tried not to grin at the thought. Merlin looked angry and nervous and over-adrenalised all in the same breath.

"Okay, hang on," Arthur said, putting his briefcase, and the red roses, down to one side and he took Merlin's hand and drew him back upstairs.

"Arthur, I'm really sorry, you were hours on it this morning."

"I know but it's fine and my own fault if I was in a rush and didn't turn the computer off properly. Come here."

Arthur sat down on the chair and faced Merlin's enemy. He was rubbish at computers. If he could give in hand-written assignments he would, but the tutors didn't like it and Merlin's handwriting was erratic at best, but he did minimize the amount of time he spent on the machine. Arthur sat on the chair and tugged Merlin to bring him down onto his lap.

"Arthur, that chair will not take us."

"Yes, it will," Arthur said, yanking Merlin down. The chair in response gave an ominous crack, but since they stayed where they were Arthur decided to ignore it. Instead he trapped Merlin with his arms and started to type. Merlin wrapped his arms around Arthur's shoulders, holding on for dear life, as if it was the one thing keeping him sane and if Arthur flipped out over the spreadsheet then he had some control of him.

On the top of the filing cabinet Winnie slowly raised her head to look at them before reassuming her curled up position, the two men in her life doing nothing more than what she expected. She sniffed and assessed the pheromones in the room and knew she wasn't getting any attention until Merlin and Arthur were done with each other.

"Okay so, there we are, open this file and click that."

"Oh God!" Merlin groaned as he realised he had in fact vanquished the evil spreadsheet.

"But in that case we go the desktop and click this little thing here, which does this and presto," Arthur said, clicking away to open the recovery programme.

"OH! Oh, thank God!" Merlin relaxed against him.

"Which I then save, and open your work file here, before taking you off and ravishing you."

"We haven't got time. I need to do that and get ready and get out in time for the reservation."

"Bollocks to the reservation!" Arthur announced, standing up and lifting Merlin with him. "I want to shag you now, then we can shower, you can work and I'll hunt for food."

"But there's a fee if you don't show and…" Merlin shut up as he was thrown on the bed. Arthur picked up the phone on the bedside cabinet and pressed one of the memory buttons.

"Hi Lancelot, it's Arthur. Look, I'm not taking Merlin to the restaurant tonight, something has come up," Arthur paused and listened. "What usually comes up with me," he said, laughing at Lancelot's response. "Use the reservation, tell them I'll cover the cost, they've got my details. Take Gwen out for the night!"

Arthur put the phone down.

"That's the third time you've done that."

"I know, at least it's going to a good cause," Arthur said, tugging at Merlin's clothes. "We're spending time together be it here or in a restaurant, so no spreadsheets, no essays and no complaining. Now shut up!"

"We can't eat in bed."

"Yes, we can, if we get pizza."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"You're an evil man!" Merlin said.

"No, I'm not," Arthur said, gently stroking Merlin's thigh as he held him. "I'm a knight who is gallantly de-stressing his damsel."

"I need to do my preparation, I'm doing the tutorial tomorrow."

"And you will be fine. You know what you are talking about, you have been preparing for like ever!"

"And this counts towards my grade."

"Again I cite my reasoning. You are prepared, you have half an hour to type your notes up while I am showering and ordering pizza then you are not thinking about it again until you get in the room."

"That won't help."

"Yes it will, because imagining what you will say, beyond the facts, will not help. Go in there and be yourself and not someone hours of anxiety will produce."

"Why are you so good at this?"

"I did my first board meeting when I was sixteen, and my father just left me to it. Which I realised made everyone glad, and they were very prepared to indulge me. Then they listened to what I was saying, and actually were quite impressed and it had nothing to do with my secretary who had threatened to spank them."

"Ah, the ever faithful secretary."

"She had an assistant who did the writing for her and she looked after me."

"I don't have one of those."

"You don't need one. You'll be fine."

"It's still nerve-wracking," Merlin said.

"Probably, but a lot of things are," Arthur reasoned. "Especially the first time you do it."

"It's hard to imagine you being nerve-wracked."

"I have been trust me."

Merlin lifted his head. "Name one time, Arthur Pendragon, you have been wracked with nerves."

"Seducing you," Arthur said. Merlin blinked. Arthur took hold of Merlin's hips and shifted him so Merlin was straddling his hips.

"What?"

"The most nerve-wracking thing I ever did. I never really though I could be that scared, I didn't want to get it wrong. It was you. You still do it now, I get frightened because I don't want to lose you, ever. Merlin, you are my nerve-wracking moment. Anything else I can handle, as long as I have you."

Merlin smiled and kissed Arthur. Pulling back he said.

"You do, you'll always have me."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

It was a perfect evening without the going out. They were curled up on the sofa, not watching the television as they snogged. Merlin liked that, just sitting and kissing. You couldn't really argue if there were someone's lips against yours.

Then the phone rang. Arthur growled.

"Oh, for… Mrs Bartle, how are you?"

Merlin tensed.

"Yes, you told us we might be on standby."

Merlin sat up.

"Okay, yes, we can be ready for him. We'll see you then. Thank you."

Arthur cut the phone connection and looked at Merlin.

"Mrs Bartle?" Merlin asked.

"Yep, she's dropping one off to us. Not a difficult case but he bothers people."

"What do you mean bothers?" Merlin asked.

"Don't know, but she seems to think we can handle it."

"Okay, we can," Merlin said.

"We've just become foster parents," Arthur said.


	2. Chapter 2

_**February 2011**_

Elena walked into the small waiting room, looking at the young boy who sat there. He was quiet as usual, and like everyone else, she found it unnerving. But as much as they did that, it was also understandable. The on-duty doctor had looked at the black eye, given Mordred an ice pack and declared that it was just bruising. Mum's boyfriend had just got a bit out of hand. Mordred took it as normal, like his mother did.

She tried not to shift in discomfort as Mordred's eyes fixed on her, his face calm, showing no emotion. He never really expressed much of an opinion as he had been shifted about from place to place. A few of the foster families had found him unnerving, especially if they had children of their own, or other foster kids placed with them. Most of the kids just referred to Mordred as 'weird'. Which seemed a little harsh to Elena, but she also felt a little intimidated by this quiet and watchful child.

"I just need to tell you, your mother's had to go to hospital."

There was no particular reaction to that. Mordred just listened to her.

"But your step-father…" she faltered as the eyes, never seeming to change, started to glare at her. "Your mum's boyfriend,"

The glaring eased.

"He's going to stay in police custody, we'll see if we can get you into foster care, Mrs Barton is going through the emergency register…."

She paused as Mordred's expression went through another change. A rather startling one for anyone in the system that knew him. His eyes took on a completely different gleam, and it seemed to spark through the rest of his face, certainly translating to his voice as he hopefully said.

"Arthur and Merlin?"

_**November 2010**_

"Mrs Bartle, come in."

"I won't stay long, this is Mordred. Mordred, you'll be staying with Arthur, and Merlin?" Mrs Bartle paused, looking confused. Arthur smiled.

"He's in the kitchen, he thought Mordred might want something to eat. I can get him?"

"No, that's fine," Mrs Bartle said, looking like she wanted to get away. "If you could come into the office tomorrow to finalise the paperwork and just go over a few things, perhaps about eleven am?"

"I can be there in the morning," Arthur said. "Mordred as well?"

"Yes, he'll need more of his own things and he will have to go back to attend school as soon as possible."

"Not a problem, if he needs anything we can always get him what he need, or make do with what we have," Arthur said. "It's fine, we'll see you tomorrow."

"We'll talk to you then, as well Mordred."

The boy in question gave a curt nod. Arthur shut the door and then exhaled and turned around.

"We've got the room ready for you. You can put your bag up there. Have you had anything to eat tonight?"

The boy shook his head.

"Okay, that's good," Arthur said, heading up the stairs and indicating that he should follow. "Merlin's making sandwiches so you can eat what you want. If you're hungry then just keep eating, Merlin will make more than enough. Your room is just here. That's mine," Arthur added as he turned and caught Mordred on the half landing looking at the suit of armour. It was adorning a tailor's dummy that Gwen had sourced.

"The hat belongs to Merlin," Arthur added.

Mordred looked at them both. The hat looked a little ragged, perched on the top, but so did the armour, the chain mail had a long gash down one side, like it had been cut open. Mordred almost touched it, but Arthur reappeared again, indicating to various doors.

"Your room is there, bathroom to the right, we're next door on the left. Have a wander and get settled. I would prefer it if you don't go into that room there. That's the only out of bounds place, so just respect our privacy. Come down when you're ready."

Arthur left him as he wandered into the room that he would be staying in. Mordred looked around. It looked fine, there was a large double bed, and various other bits of furniture, with neat soft furnishings in blue and yellow. He poked around in drawers, and the wardrobe and made a small concession by putting the underwear from his bag in a drawer. The rest he left in his bag. He never spent much time anywhere. Going out he wandered around the house, peering to Arthur and Merlin's room, looking at the bright, shiny black and white bathroom and then he took a few tentative steps towards the room that Arthur had asked him not to go into. He tensed a little, listening to the low hum of sound from downstairs. It was a conversation, Arthur and Merlin, who Mordred had yet to see, were talking. Leaning forward, keeping his toes just on the metal carpet runner that divided the room from the landing, Mordred switched on the light.

The brightness of the bulb was softened to some extent by the lampshade, but it still made him blink as he looked into what was clearly a working room. The computer, on it's desk was turned off, some papers scattered on the top by the monitor, the shelves held files and books and a filing cabinet lay tucked away in the corner on Mordred's left, he looked at the listings on the front of the four drawers; 'owned', 'employees', 'development' and 'misc'. Mordred was rather curious as to what 'misc' meant. The other words made sense, sort of.

He looked at the box files that stood on the top of a bookcase, they made more sense; 'English', 'History', 'Psychology', there were three of English, two of history and five relating to psychology, all neatly numbered. Mordred guessed this was where one of them worked, Arthur, or Merlin, or maybe both of them.

Mordred turned and walked down the stairs, heading down the hallway and following the lights into the kitchen. Arthur was there, talking to a tall dark headed man. That came as no surprise to Mordred, Mrs Barton had carefully explained it to him. It made no difference to Mordred, they were just strangers that put up with him.

"He's just going to have to," Arthur said to Merlin. They both turned to look at Mordred. Merlin smiled, pausing from slicing cheese.

"Hi, I'm Merlin. Erm… do you like cheese?"

Mordred shrugged and moved further into the room. Arthur reached out and pulled out the nearest chair.

"Sit down, if your hungry help yourself," Arthur said pointing to the pile of sandwiches that had been made. "You've got chicken paste, sliced ham and tomato and cheese there."

Mordred reached out and took one, turning his head as the cat sat on the chair at right angles to him, on his left, stopped purring at Merlin and turned to look at him. Winnie's eyes closed, she shifted on the chair, purred a bit more and looked at Mordred. Mordred looked back.

"That's Winnie," Arthur said stealing a sliver of ham and giving it to her. Winnie purred and looked up at Arthur. Arthur rubbed the top of her head and she closed her eyes and angled into his hand.

"I've given her some, stop it!" Merlin chastised.

"A bit more won't hurt."

"The vet said she was portly!" Merlin snapped, and then looked at Mordred and stopped looking irritated and then looked guilty.

"Is there anything else you want?" Merlin asked anxiously. Mordred said nothing but reached for a cheese sandwich and put it on the plate that had been left out for him. Then he put a ham and another cheese one on. Very slowly he continued eating, Merlin smiled, which seemed to make Arthur smile, Mordred noted.

"I think that will be enough, we have those fruit pies too, if you're hungry after this."

"It's nice, thank you," Mordred said, very politely.

"I could do a ham and cheese, or we have some beef," Merlin said, sounding anxious to please. Mordred had heard that before, people wanting to make it better for him. Arthur turned and watched Merlin, as he was about to stay something but then the buzzing noise made them all look at the phone dancing across the kitchen surface. Arthur picked it up and grimaced.

"Mor…." He tried to duck away from the ranting down the phone. He took it away from his ear and then put it back.

"…gana. Talk in a normal voice. I'm not getting any sense out of you… hang on… just calm down and talk to me…." Arthur turned away putting a hand on Merlin's shoulder for a moment, as reassurance, before he walked away, trying to talk and not getting anywhere. Merlin looked at Arthur's retreating back and then at Mordred.

"Sorry, are you all right?"

Mordred nodded, very slowly his eyes on Merlin for a minute.

"NO!" Merlin suddenly said sternly. His eyes locked on the cat, who had one paw on the table. Merlin leant over and pushed it off. "No!" he informed the cat again putting his fingertip against her nose. Winnie closed her eyes and purred, pushing her head against him.

"Not on the table!" Merlin snapped at her. Then he looked at Mordred.

"She's fine everywhere but on the kitchen units, and the table. If she comes into your room later on, you can kick her out and just shut the door. She's just being nosy but she's done it to people before."

Mordred nodded slowly and ate more of his sandwich, looking at Merlin. Merlin smiled.

"Are the sandwiches all right? I could find something else if…"

Merlin paused. Winnie had turned and hopped off the chair, walking over to assess Mordred and she rested her front paws on the edge of the chair as she purred up at him. Mordred looked up at Merlin.

"Can I have ham and cheese?" he asked.

"Yes," Merlin said.

"Open a few of those and mix them together rather than making more, we're not going to eat them all. I can take the rest out with me tomorrow. For Gods sake!"

Arthur started talking in a normal voice, as he came back and talked to them, and then ran away as he raised his tone to a shout. Mordred kept listening, sitting back as Winnie curled around his chair, purring loudly.

"Morgana, just take a breath, and talk to her, deal with it. If you need him, Leon is there, I have my own life, thank you. Oh my God," Arthur announced, turning his phone off and throwing it away.

"Is it bad?"

"No, it's Morgana."

"Is there a problem, do you need to go and help her?"

Arthur shrugged and sat in the chair opposite Winnie, and right of Mordred. The little kitchen table looked thoroughly cluttered now. Arthur piled the plate that Merlin had left for him with some sandwiches and started eating, pulling some apart to assemble a couple of ham and cheese ones for Mordred. Arthur smiled at him and then turned to Merlin.

"What would be the good of that? She has to do it herself. The first problem she has with one of the staff, she comes crying to me and I come running. That doesn't send a good signal. If she's going to do this, she has to do it, on her own."

"It's not easy though is it? Uther's been dragging you around business meetings since you were born, it almost comes naturally to you."

"No," Arthur said gently, refusing to let his voice rise. "I had an early start doing it, but I learnt it, I made mistakes, and there was no one there to pick me up and dust me off."

"Not even Uther?"

Arthur shook his head, "only if there was danger of serious debt, and the time he thought he needed to help, I managed to sort it. Other than that, I was on my own."

Mordred listened with wide eyes, as Merlin and Arthur talked. Winnie jumped into his lap, purring loudly and settling herself down across his lap.

"You can push her off if you don't want her there," Arthur said.

Mordred smiled and left Winnie where she was.

_**February 2011**_

"And of course if you put the projections across the following year then we can potentially…."

'Bore me to death?' Arthur asked himself, desperately trying to get Merlin's attention. It was in vain, Merlin was listening to someone's wife, although why Merlin ended up talking to the wives baffled Arthur. Yes, Merlin was his partner but dealing with wives was above and beyond the call of duty. Arthur felt like crying with joy when he phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at it. He didn't recognise the number, and he didn't care. Arthur felt ready to have the caller's babies.

"Arthur Pendragon? Oh, Mrs Bartle, yes, hello, no that's fine."

Merlin had turned and Arthur waved at him, drawing him over.

"Nothing that important, why?"

"What's the matter?"

"No, that's fine, we can do that."

"What?" Merlin snapped at him.

"Which police station?" Arthur paused. "No I can call up the address, I can find it. Is he all right?"

Merlin stopped tugging on his lapel in a subtle gesture to get his attention. Arthur raised his eyebrows and mouthed one word.

'Mordred'.

"What do we need to do?" Merlin asked.

"We'll be there as soon as we can," Arthur said, hanging up. "We need to go and pick him up, he needs fostering again."

"And they asked us, again?" Merlin said.

"We'd better tell dad, and no, they didn't ask, Mordred did."


	3. Chapter 3

_**February 2011**_

More than likely, Merlin thought to himself, it was Arthur that Mordred wanted. He didn't openly comment, Arthur would probably refute the claim if Merlin made it, but Arthur had bonded with the quiet, watchful child with an ease that had made Merlin almost jealous. Almost, he told himself. Merlin firmly refused to let the emotion rise. It wasn't fair on either Arthur, who had handled the situation well, or Mordred, who deserved something in the way of stability and friendship.

That was, Merlin thought, just the way Arthur was. He had the ability to walk into a situation, or deal with a person, with a calm logical approach, and people responded to it. Merlin himself had, falling in love with Arthur in the process. He could hardly start complaining about it now.

"Do you think he's all right?" Merlin asked, as Arthur negotiated the traffic to get them across town.

"Physically he's fine, from what she said, but you can't always tell what's going on in his head," Arthur mused, pausing at a set of traffic lights. "At least we know one thing."

"What's that?"

"We know we can make it right."

Merlin couldn't really argue with that.

**November 2010**

Mordred calmly got himself ready. They were going to see social services, who would tell him where he was going next. They could decide to let him stay with Arthur and Merlin, or put him elsewhere. It didn't make much difference to him. What surprised him was it making such a difference to Merlin and Arthur.

"I could cancel my tutorial, I'm sure they'll understand," Merlin said to Arthur.

Mordred watched them from the half-landing. He had been left alone to get ready. Breakfast had been an affair that had required him to sit with them, but no more than that. It was just normal for them, not a special event. Mordred just followed whatever happened in whichever place he was.

"Merlin, you are not giving up on this. I can do Mrs Bartle and this meeting. I've got to swing by the house to see what Gwaine is waffling on about then I can make the meeting. Just go. Mordred tell him we're fine and we can handle Mrs Bartle."

Mordred went down two steps feeling caught out. "We're fine and I can handle Mrs Bartle. They won't move me unless they have to."

"No one is going to have to," Arthur said. "Come on, we'll meet at the bookshop. I don't know why you said you'd take the afternoon there. But we can fortify you with some lunch before it."

"Freya is in Barbados."

"Good for her, but come on, I can redo my day, Merlin don't put this off, stop putting it off, we'll meet you at the shop for lunch, and I'll get Viv if I have to."

Merlin pouted.

"I hate you," he told Arthur. Mordred blinked. Arthur just smirked and kissed Merlin's pouted lower lip.

"No you don't. I am your knight in shining armour, and you haven't polished me recently."

Mordred saw the effect as Merlin smiled.

He was pondering it as Merlin drove off in his small, innocuous car. Mordred felt impressed as he clambered into Arthur's deep blue sports car, snuggling back into the leather seats and staring around in awe.

"I need to go and look at a project of mine, we can do that before we go and talk to Mrs Bartle, then we can meet Merlin for lunch. We look happy if he's happy, we look sympathetic if he looks down and feed him copious amounts of chocolate cake. Okay with that?"

"Yes," Mordred said, guessing he could follow that. Arthur started the car and it gave, as far as Mordred was concerned, a satisfying rumbling roar.

"When will I have to go back to school?" Mordred asked. Arthur shrugged.

"Probably next week, it's not worth it the rest of this week, and we were going over to my fathers for the weekend, so we can go with that and set about getting what you need today."

"Mrs Bartle might move me," Mordred said.

Arthur shrugged and turned the ignition. "Why would she do that?"

"People think I'm weird."

Arthur shrugged again and eased the car out of the driveway, pausing to allow a cluster of girls in school uniform cross in front of him. A few of them waved and giggled. Mordred recognised the uniform and the girls. They swayed away from the car and Arthur hardly noticed them, only making sure that he didn't run them over. But he liked Merlin, Mordred concluded, so why was Arthur going to be looking at schoolgirls.

"What's weird about you?" Arthur asked.

"I don't talk."

"I never realised that was compulsory, besides Merlin makes up for both of us, and so does Gwaine. When you meet Gwaine, remember, never believe anything he says unless it's about building work, never go drinking with him – not something we need to worry about with you - and never, ever, leave him alone with Merlin."

"Why not?"

"Merlin is far too polite to fend off the flirting and I don't want to have to punch Gwaine, even it if is just on principle. He'll only use it as an excuse not to work, and flirt with Merlin further."

Mordred got the feeling that flirting with Merlin was somewhat of a heinous crime. Although he wasn't quite sure what flirting was, he got the feeling it was a good idea to find out, it might be worthwhile to know. His first impressions of his new foster home were fairly good. Neither of them had fussed him too much. Mordred got the feeling that Merlin might try, but also got the inclination Arthur would regulate it, if he thought that Merlin was going too far. Mordred decided that he might like to stay with Arthur and Merlin, for as long as he was allowed anyway.

He settled back in the seat, and watched the scenery pass by, realising he was in one of the better areas of the town. He passed the street where one of his previous foster families had lived, with a horrible brutish boy who had picked on him mercilessly. Mordred's jaw clenched and he turned to look forward instead. Arthur idly inclined his head to watch him, but didn't seem to require anything in the way of conversation. The undemanding, settled, silence prompted Mordred to actually start a conversation.

"Where are we going?"

"One of my projects, a house I'm developing. When it's done I'll sell it on, hopefully at a profit," Arthur mused. Mordred blinked.

"What you mean like those shows on the telly?"

"A bit like that. I've done a few different ones over the years."

"Is that your job?"

"One of them," Arthur said. "I also own some nightclubs, and do some freelance work – that's usually employee management and kind of how to improve your business. Merlin refers to it as doing 'this and that'."

Mordred nodded, concluding that perhaps the filing cabinet was Arthur's.

"You mean you're like one of those guys off Dragon's Den?"

Arthur snorted with laughter, slowing down and taking a left turn onto a quiet street and pulling into the cluttered driveway of a ragged looking house that was surrounded by scaffolding. There were two vehicles already parked up, a flatbed transit piled with wood and another van with the side door open and two men sat in the space drinking tea from a flask.

"I think you watch too much television," Arthur said.

Mordred shrugged. "I dunno."

Arthur gave him an amused look but said nothing further. He got out of the car and Mordred scrabbled out of the passenger side, shutting the door carefully, trying to make sure he didn't get marks on the pristine car. He really, really, liked Arthur's car. Arthur smiled at him and then turned to the two men.

"I'm sure I don't pay you to drink tea."

"Hey! Tea breaks are an important remit of building. It's the rule, and we've been working since eight."

"I've been working since eight," the other man rumbled. Standing up he glared down at his workmate, who looked unrepentant.

"I had to pick up the wood," the unrepentant man announced.

"And no doubt chat up the receptionist."

"Let me guess, Gwaine, that's another rule of building," Arthur drawled. Gwaine flicked his hair back off his face and grinned at Arthur. Then he noticed Mordred tailing along behind him. Arthur turned.

"This is Mordred, Mordred this is Gwaine."

Arthur indicated to the floppy haired man, who grinned at him. Mordred eyed him with interest, mulling over Arthur's advice.

"Hi," Gwaine said.

"This is Percival," Arthur added.

Percival nodded his head at Mordred but took the hint that the rest of the discussion did not include him. Percival looked at Gwaine.

"I'll unload the wood shall I?"

"Yes, I'll give our employer the bad news," Gwaine said, sounding bright, but also moderately irritated.

"So go on, what requires my presence?" Arthur asked. Gwaine put his hard hat on, Arthur was already carrying his and put it on his head.

"Do you want to stay out here or come with us?" Arthur asked Mordred.

"Come with you."

"Percy, can we borrow your hat?" Arthur asked.

"Sure," Percival said. He picked up the hat and dumped it onto Mordred's head and it dropped down over his nose. Arthur laughed as he lifted it off, adjusted the strap inside and put it back on Mordred head. It slipped a little, Arthur took it off and put it up a notch and then placed it back. Mordred felt the tight band of plastic around his head, and Arthur straightened it up.

"Comfortable?"

"Yes," Mordred said. Arthur nodded and they trailed into the house to see what Gwaine wanted to show them. Five minutes later Arthur said.

"Shit! And you didn't hear that," he informed Mordred. Mordred shrugged.

"It's through the entire floor, Arthur. I am going to have to replace all the beams. Who did the survey? I know we've taken longer on this job, but this would have been evident. You did have it properly checked."

"Yes, and it didn't mention a thing. I had to use that other company though, since I needed it in a rush for the mortgage, but there is no doubt this should have been noticed. You've bought in the wood today to replace the beams?"

"Yes, I'll give you the invoice and considering the cost do you want to leave the attic just as storage instead of the conversion on top."

"I might have to. I'll call Alvarr and see if he will come down and assess it, and I'll drag the other company over the carpet. Do the basic work and leave it with me, I'll chase up why the company failed to do what they should have. You passed me the paperwork didn't you?"

"And copied it as well, that's a Sophia job."

"Like she's reliable."

"She does her best!"

Arthur chose not to comment on that.

"I've got copies of what you need, I picked them up this morning," Gwaine announced. Arthur snorted in anger, looking at the damage to be rectified, and then he glanced up at Mordred.

"Let's hope Merlin has a better morning than we do."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So?" Arthur asked.

"Happy if he looks happy," Mordred said as they walked into the shop. He was staring at Arthur in awe, he had never heard anyone sound so impressive. Arthur was angry, and then he had paused to be calm around Mrs Bartle. Mordred knew he could handle her, Arthur did just as well, except he had to go to school on Friday. He now had his uniform and homework.

"Do you have anything you have to give in on Friday?"

"No," Mordred said.

"I don't see why you couldn't have taken the week off, all things considered."

Mordred shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

"Well, we'll tell Merlin the plan when he gets here, and I dare say either way he won't take the afternoon off. Merlin works here," Arthur added as they walked through the bookshop and headed up to the café. Mordred felt his stomach quiver at the smell of food, and he decided he was most definitely hungry.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes," he informed Arthur.

"Good, come on, let's sit here, hello Gwen."

"Hi Arthur," a curly haired brunette came over and kissed Arthur on the cheek. She then glanced at and smiled at Mordred.

"This is Mordred, Mordred this is Gwen. We're fostering him."

"Oh, that's good. Have you heard from Merlin?"

"No, but I didn't expect to. He's turned his whole tutorial into a huge drama."

"He's leading it though, he's teaching today, it's big for him. Oooh, here is is!" she announced prodding Arthur's shoulder, much to his irritation and Mordred's baffled amusement. All of them turned to look down at Merlin as he walked through the door and trotted across the room.

"Does he look happy?" Gwen asked.

"Yes," Arthur said with utter confidence.

"How can you tell?" Gwen asked. "He looks calm enough but not happy. You know when Merlin's happy."

"He's containing it because he trying to be secretive until the last moment," Arthur said. He looked up and smiled and waved at Merlin, who as he reached the top of the stairs broke into a big beaming smile.

"He's happy!" Gwen said.

"He's such a girl," Arthur said as Merlin waved and walked over. Mordred smiled as well, a little less enthusiastically than his companions but he made the effort.

"Hi," Merlin said, still beaming.

"Well done," Gwen said, kissing his cheek. "Wave me over when you want to order."

Merlin frowned at her.

"You're beaming, so it went well," Gwen said.

"Yes, it did, and Arthur's not allowed to say I told you so."

"Okay, I won't. I've got dry rot."

"What?" Merlin said, pulling away from Arthur as he went to kiss him. And he prodded Arthur in the side.

"At the house!" Arthur huffed, batting Merlin off, making him smirk. "That's what Gwaine wanted to show me, I'm going to have to re-budget the whole damn thing. It was fate you trying to kill that spreadsheet."

"How did everything else go?" Merlin said, glancing at Mordred. Mordred smiled at him.

"Fine," Arthur said. "Mrs Bartle is making a guess for about a couple of months. And he has to go to school tomorrow."

"Well, that's good," Merlin said.

"It seems pointless for one day," Arthur reasoned. Mordred shrugged.

"It's okay."

"What about going over to your dad's?" Merlin asked.

"That's what I was considering, I could pick Mordred up from school, and bring him back. If you have everything ready we can pack up the Mercedes, drive to your mum's pick her up and then go onto dad's. It's only going to be takeaways and watching a film, so we aren't fixed for a time. I've let dad know that we need another guest room and he can let Katrina know."

Merlin nodded. "Are you sure we should go? We could just say we'll go next week." He turned to look at Mordred in concern. Mordred shrugged, and smiled again.

"I'm okay."

And he got the feeling he was telling the truth.

_**February 2011**_

Mrs Bartle saw Arthur and Merlin arrive, getting out of the car and hurrying to the entrance. She watched Merlin talking in an anxious tone to Arthur. It had made her wonder, during the initial interviews. She was open to accepting same sex relationships, even for fostering. It was not what had concerned her about these two. All she could feel about Merlin was that he himself needed nurturing and caring for. She had taken the risk of recommending them based on Arthur, who appeared so strong and quite obviously devoted to Merlin.

Again Merlin seemed to be giving off those anxious vibes that had concerned her a little. She turned as the door to the waiting room opened. Mordred had also seen their arrival and as Arthur opened the door Mordred hurried over.

Then she watched, very carefully. As Arthur expertly put Merlin ahead of him, and there was a careful inclination of his head as he looked at Mordred. It was something that Mordred appeared to pick up on, as when he reached them he hugged Merlin, wrapping his arms around his waist. Merlin looked surprised, but put his arms around Mordred's shoulders. Arthur watched them both drawing the pair of them into a hug. Merlin wangled an arm free and got it around Arthur's waist. They stayed in that huddled unit for a moment, talking between themselves in a low tone.

Eventually, Arthur looked up and glanced at her, saying something else to Merlin and Mordred.

It had been made quite clear. If you wanted Arthur, you had to accept Merlin. Mordred, it appeared, was well prepared to do so.


	4. Chapter 4

_**February 2011**_

"Since it's going to be longer this time, Merlin and I thought you might like to take the upstairs rooms. We've never got around to doing anything with them, other than putting that little bathroom in, you could make your own bedroom and sitting room up there," Arthur said.

"Then we'd never see him," Merlin said as he put out cereal packets and cut bread for toast.

"He's nearly a teenager, I don't think we're meant to."

"Just because you were an awful child, don't judge everyone else by your own low standards," Merlin said, making Arthur smile and pinch his backside as he turned back to the kitchen cupboards to find the jam. Merlin jumped and swatted Arthur's ear.

Mordred smiled as he watched. It was nice to be back with Arthur and Merlin. He hadn't minded Arthur subtle hint to hug Merlin first when they had arrived last night. Mordred had heard Arthur mutter once that Merlin was too nice for his own good.

Through his short life Mordred had seen enough. He knew he was jaded, cynical, and didn't believe in people being nice. Most of the time they wanted something. Merlin, however, was not like that. Arthur knew it, and was determined to preserve it. Mordred agreed with him. He liked Arthur, he wanted to be like Arthur, but to do that, he had to find his version of Merlin. Mordred wasn't inclined to really express feelings often but he understood what Arthur saw in Merlin. In Arthur Mordred had met something of a kindred spirit, he had opened up a world of possibility but Merlin's presence showed him the point of it all.

"So, we could get Gwaine in to look over the top rooms," Arthur said, glancing at Merlin as well. "You can have a bedroom and a living room, what do you think?"

Mordred smiled. "Cool."

"What are we going to do about next weekend?" Merlin asked.

"What's next weekend?" Mordred asked.

"My father's hosting a business dinner thing. I've got to go and Merlin going to help out. Morgana will be there as well." Arthur glanced at Mordred. "We could just bring him along, I'm sure he'll be useful, if he doesn't want to he can hide in the lounge with a stack of DVD's."

Mordred, however, listened with great interest.

"I'll help out, I don't mind."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**November 2010**

Mordred waited by the school gates and ignored the jeering. It had got around that he had been taken into care, again, and that he had been hit by his mother's boyfriend. It had been PE today so he had been forced to change and everyone saw the damage. They had seen it all before. Mordred felt untouched by it. He was a target the bigger boys could pick on.

He perked up on seeing Arthur's sports car. Mordred liked this car, no one else he knew had a car like Arthur's. Arthur pulled up, the engine's low hum drawing attention, and Arthur opened the door and looked over the car roof at Mordred, lingering by the gates.

"Hi, you okay?"

Mordred nodded. Arthur nodded back and then his eyes moved, snapping in the direction of the bullies. That was all he did. They had stopped calling at Mordred, because they were looking at the girls leaving the grounds. The one in the centre was looking at Arthur.

"Hello Arthur."

Arthur smiled and nodded. "Hi Ellie, how are you?"

"Okay."

Arthur nodded again, politely, and then turned his attention back to Mordred.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes," Mordred said. He wasn't quite sure if he was. They were doing as Arthur planned, going over to pick Merlin's mother up and then go over for a family weekend. A family that Mordred wasn't really a part of. He felt more acutely aware of the fact as he realised he had to meet all these people. He carefully opened the car door and clambered in, concentrating on putting his bag down and fastening his seatbelt. Looking up he glanced at Arthur as he clambered in, and then turned his head as he sensed Ellie Hart's gaze on him.

Arthur put the car into gear and turned it, heading off down the road.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes," Mordred said.

"You packed up your stuff this morning didn't you? If there is anything else just throw it in, Merlin always forgets something. We'll head off as soon as we are packed up. We're going to pick Merlin's mum up then we'll head over to my dad's place. You okay with that."

Mordred shrugged. "Sure."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Arthur had, very subtly, taken all the worry of making decisions out of Mordred's hands, so he didn't need to worry about choosing his pizza, or which film, which everyone seemed to want him to do. It was not something Mordred was used to. The other homes he had been in had never really given him that consideration.

Still, he felt quite settled now, sprawled on the thick rug that covered Uther's lounge floor, watching Pirates of the Caribbean. Hunith and Uther were occupying armchairs, Morgana had one end of the sofa and Arthur and Merlin snuggled together at the other. Merlin had tried, for a sense of propriety, to put a bit of distance between himself and Arthur. Arthur, however, didn't have any of it. He simply tackled Merlin and pulled him close until Merlin had no choice to submit to his usual position leaning against Arthur, head on his shoulder and arm looped across Arthur's navel. Arthur wrapped his arms around Merlin's shoulders and that was that.

Arthur had spotted the little smirk Mordred had given as he had viewed their antics. Morgana just rolled her eyes. Hunith looked at them affectionately. Uther paid them no attention at all. Arthur and Merlin's physical affection was nothing more than the natural order of things.

It was never going to change.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**24 December 2010**

The Pendragons have never really bothered with Christmas. The three of them usually gathered at Uther's house to eat dinner, drink too much with it, and often after it, watch the obligatory films and give each other presents. And they simply left it at that. Merlin and Hunith always enjoyed decorating the tree together, present hunting, going to church and had crackers, silly hats and stockings. Arthur thought that if Merlin could get away with going to visit Santa's grotto he would probably do so. With that in mind, Arthur, for their first Christmas together, naturally made the effort to get into the swing of it.

For their second Christmas, he wished he hadn't bothered. The plans had been perfect. Everyone was invited to come over to their house. Merlin wanted to cook dinner – probably with help from Hunith since Arthur remained banned from any cooking activity. They had a big tree and presents piled underneath it, with Merlin making sure that even Winnie had one or two.

And then had come the phone call. Mordred's mother had sorted herself out, at least for now, and wanted him home. Mordred had gone and Merlin's enthusiasm had left him like air rushing from a balloon.

Merlin still insisted on going ahead with his plan, probably not wanting to let anyone else down. For that reason Arthur had pulled in some reserves to help him out. Gwen and Lancelot were due over for Christmas evening, and Arthur had no trouble pulling in Gwaine to attend for the day, since he had no family and no ties. Arthur hadn't asked what Gwaine's original plans were but the man had accepted with an enthusiasm that made Arthur think they had not been very interesting.

Christmas Eve they had alone snuggled on the sofa, in their usual position and - possibly sensing Merlin's upset – Winnie perched at the other end, sprawled out and lightly clawing Merlin's sock clad feet as she purred. Arthur felt the turn of Merlin's head as he glanced towards the pile of presents under the tree. A good number of them were for Mordred.

"I don't suppose we can drop them off."

"Unfortunately I don't think so," Arthur said, kissing the top of Merlin's head. Merlin tightened his grip. At the end of the sofa, Winnie peeked her nose over the top of Merlin's foot, looking at them steadily before she brushed the side of her face against Merlin's heel.

"It's not like we did a bad job," Merlin said.

"We didn't do anything of the sort," Arthur said.

Thankfully Mrs Bartle had spoken to Arthur alone, Mordred's mother had objected to her son being placed with them. Although Mrs Bartle, during the conversation, had carefully stressed to Arthur that social services did not see it in entirely the same way. Without openly saying it she had managed to put in a good deal of praise into their conversation, but Arthur knew Merlin wouldn't have picked up on that. His reaction to any criticism would have deafened him to it.

"There is a good chance he'll end up coming back," Arthur reasoning. "We just have to be ready for that."

"If only it hadn't been just before Christmas," Merlin said, his voice thickening slightly. Arthur kissed him again, agreeing that doing it three days before Christmas was little short of sadistic. He felt just as bad as Merlin.

"Tell you what," Arthur said. "We'll store Mordred's presents, unwrapped, and when he comes back we'll have another Christmas."

"If he comes back, and what about the chocolate?"

"Let's not think like that, and with regard to the chocolate we'll give it to Gwaine, when he's leaving. I'm not having that man here while he is suffering a sugar rush!"

Merlin at least giggled at that.

"Trust me Merlin," Arthur warned him. "It's not funny."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**March 2011**

Arthur returned to a very nice domestic scene. Despite the fact that Percival had spent two days decorating the rooms, and they had gone shopping letting Mordred help pick out the furnishing, quite often Mordred found himself drifting downstairs to be with Arthur and Merlin. For years he had longed for something of his own space, now he had it he ended up feeling very disinclined to use it.

Which was why, when Arthur came home, he found the pair of them doing their homework together at the kitchen table. Peeking out from under the table, in the proximity of Mordred's lap, Arthur could glimpse ginger fur. Winnie also clearly enjoying the domestic bliss that was occurring.

Both of them glanced up as Arthur strolled in.

"Hello," Merlin said brightly. He obligingly tilted his head up to let Arthur kiss him on the lips. Then Arthur reached over to ruffle Mordred's hair.

"Having fun?" Arthur asked.

"It's French," Mordred said, which meant 'no, he wasn't'.

"Ouch! You should do that at the café, Gwen's good at French, her brother Elyan lives over there," Arthur advised him before looking to Merlin. "What's cooking?"

"Chicken casserole," Merlin said.

"Why do I need French anyway?" Mordred asked as he slaved over the various verbs he had to learn.

"No harm in knowing another language," Arthur said. "Be useful when you get a job… perhaps?"

"It's good to have lots of skills these days, getting work isn't easy," Merlin added.

"It will be," Mordred said. "I know what I'm going to do."

"What's that?" Merlin asked, looking up with interest. Mordred slowly looked up from the torture that was French verbs. He looked at Merlin, then at Arthur, then back to Merlin again to announce in a tone that seemed to be stating the complete obvious.

"I'm going to work for Arthur."

Merlin raised his eyebrows, Arthur grinned.

"You'll have to get a business degree first," Arthur decided to warn him.

Mordred looked at him. "Do I have to learn French to do that?"

"Not unless you go to France to do it," Arthur reasoned with a shrug.

"That's all right then," Mordred said putting his head down and going back to his verbs. Arthur continued to grin, glancing over at Merlin who said.

"Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes, if you want to get a shower first."


	5. Chapter 5

**April 2011**

"So how does that work then?" Mordred asked looking over Arthur's spreadsheets.

"You take out a mortgage to pay for the house, while you work on it. Those payments go in as part of your budget, and then you allocate the rest of the money to costs. That is a payment you can't leave out, I never do. If you default on the mortgage the house will be repossessed and you don't see any of your money again."

"Okay, so if I do that then what's the next thing that is important?"

"That will depend on your house, what you plan for it. Some of the bigger properties I split up and turned into apartments, those ones are rare, I wouldn't do one now. I still own two of them, and I get rent money."

"But don't you also pay a company to handle the rents."

"Yes, but that's not a problem because my father owns it, I can trust him. He invested in that, well… he rescued it from bankruptcy and made it work."

"And he's using that as an investment, but then it would be cheaper for a landlord to cut that person out?"

"Yes, but then it takes a level of protection away. A letting agent will check tenants out, make sure they get references and if there are any issues they deal with it and have legal backing. The contracts my father has in place are watertight, they protect the tenants as well, so they get repairs dealt with quickly and things like that."

"Gwaine?" Mordred said.

"Not just Gwaine," Arthur said. "I manage his company. Gwaine can build but the only thing he can manage is alcohol. He knows what he's doing when it comes to the practical work, and his building firm employs a dozen people, and he also contracts out when the job is bigger."

"He's a that rather than a this," Merlin said from where he was making stroganoff for heating up later on, and listening intently. Arthur looked up, giving Merlin a glittering flash of his eyes as he stared from under lowered brows.

"If you like," Arthur drawled. Mordred smiled to himself as he looked at a spreadsheet. The flirting never seemed to stop and he was quite aware of what it led to. There were always noises from the bedroom. They had got louder since his bedroom was now situated in the attic and both men thought that Mordred couldn't hear it, but Mordred didn't mind. His mother and her boyfriend could be just as loud, but it was far less tender.

"Anyway, back to the main budget, the fact is, this house is in a good area, developing up a little so when we pick the bathroom and kitchen fittings they need to be of a low-ish price but have to look good."

"The bathroom could be white, the fittings, you can't go wrong with that," Mordred said.

"I like our dark blue," Merlin said.

"Yes, but that's very strong, it will work if we find some tiles, white with a blue pattern but white is generally safer. Our bathroom is big enough to handle it as well. Kitchen?" Arthur asked Mordred, which caused the boy to pause. Arthur's phone rang.

"Hold your thought," Arthur said picking up his phone. "Arthur Pendragon. Hello, Mrs Bartle."

That put both Merlin and Mordred on alert.

"Right, okay. Well, we are both at home today, for the school holidays… we can come this afternoon." Arthur made shushing gestures to the pair of them, indicating at the same time that Mordred was not the subject of the conversation. That put them on further alert. There would be only one reason they were required beyond that, they needed to take someone else. They had done so for a young boy George, for two weeks, while his mother was in hospital. Despite the fact he had been upset about his mother he had seemed to enjoy himself. She had been surprised at the diligence of the two men, bringing her son to see her everyday, armed with flowers and fruit and presents and her son babbling in excitement about Winnie, the swimming pool at Uther's house and going to the fair.

Arthur had also decided that when Uther held the annual summer barbeque he was going to put George and his mother on the invite list.

"Right," Arthur said into the phone, trying to ignore Merlin and Mordred who were eyeing him with eager anticipation. He looked at his watch. "This afternoon?"

Merlin made impatient gestures at him. Arthur held up his hand to contain him, lacing his fingers though Merlin's to hold his hand.

"Two o'clock? Yes, we can be there, will it be immediate from then? Okay no, that's fine, we can make arrangements later. Right, we'll see you then. Thanks Mrs Bartle."

"Well?" Merlin demanded the moment he hung up.

At the same time Mrs Bartle sat back and glanced out of the window, looking at the little girl in question, Elena Godwyn. A poor little thing who had lost her parents a year ago, and probably didn't even understand what the trauma she was suffering really meant. Mrs Bartle had pushed for Arthur and Merlin to take her, seen as a last resort by her peers but she thought it might be a shrewd move. She wasn't quite sure how it would pan out, but an instinct stirred in her that perhaps it was the answer that they were looking for.

Arthur looked up at a very expectant Merlin. He glanced at Mordred who was staring at him with a similar level of interest.

"This sounds very long term, if they decide it's working out."

"How do you mean?" Merlin said, sitting down, perching in the end so as not to dislodge Winnie, sprawled out next to him. Merlin put his other hand into Winnie's fur.

"It's seems that Mrs Bartle fought our corner. And won."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**August 2011**

It had caused a bit of a stir, Arthur soon realised. A few people had looked almost shocked at the sight of him in his armour again, after the horrors of the party two years ago, when Cain had hurt Merlin – Arthur never gave his own injury much thought. Some people considered the revival of his costume a little tactless, but Arthur brushed that off. Such a thing only concerned himself and Merlin, and to a lesser extent Uther and Hunith.

"He does look good in it," Hunith eventually conceded as he watched Arthur cross the room, being polite to everyone he passed, but clearly making his way towards Merlin, whose current attention was on their five-year-old foster daughter Elena.

Elena was the reason he had resurrected his knight costume, since she was dressed as a princess. Arthur hadn't been able to persuade Merlin to don his old wizard outfit, and Arthur didn't push the issue. Both of them were far more interested in organising Elena's flowing blue dress, of course it had to be blue. They had carefully accessorized it with a sparkling silver tiara and the material glittered with sequins and gems.

In the end, since he couldn't be coaxed into a wimple either, Merlin had tried to stick with the medieval theme and gone as Robin Hood. A costume which was hugely flattering on Merlin, and driving Arthur mad.

"They've all made a good effort," Uther said.

"You never do," Hunith turned to him, looking him up and down. Uther shrugged.

"I'd feel silly, I told Igraine that years ago when we first did it."

"Was it her idea?" Hunith asked. Uther had started to get better at talking about his late wife.

"A joint idea, when we got engaged, it was near her birthday as well, and she made a comment about getting dressed up. The year she was pregnant with Arthur I said she should go as the Virgin Mary."

"What did she say to that?" Hunith asked.

"She threatened to smack me and if I wasn't careful she'd go as Lady Godiva. In the end she went as a party game."

"Excuse me?" Hunith spluttered as she took a sip of her drink.

"Pin The Name On The Bump," Uther said. "She left a tray of little blue and pink cards to one side with safety pins and if anyone thought of a name to suggest they could pin it on her dress around the bump. She looked like a Christmas tree by the end of the night. She thought it might help solve our name dilemma. We weren't very good at deciding between us."

"And someone suggested Arthur?"

"We decided it would be the first card we picked and that would be his name, or her name at the time. Thank God he wasn't a girl, he would have been called Clementine."

Hunith laughed. Uther smirked and then sobered a little.

"I didn't want the party the next year."

"But you started them again," Hunith said, and then she looked around the room. "Obviously."

"Morgana's father, Gorlois talked me into it, Arthur was almost five, and his wife Elaine was heavily pregnant."

"She played the same game."

"Yes, Arthur overheard the conversation, he listened to everything. He wanted to go as a dragon. I had the costume specially made, in green and red velvet."

"I bet he enjoyed that."

"Everyone loved him, he ran around growling at everybody, until he got too hot, and since all the important parts of his costume, the teeth, tail and claws were all attached to his top he took the trousers off and ran around in his underpants for the rest of the night. I have a photograph of him somewhere, asleep in one of the big armchairs in the drawing room."

"I doubt he would like that to get out, you should give it to Merlin, he can get his own back over the pictures Merlin drew when he was young. I have them framed and up on the wall."

Uther grinned. "Embarrassing your children is fun. I'll see if I can find it later."

Hunith grinned back and poured them both some more champagne.

"Hello," Arthur said, finally reaching Merlin. Elena beamed up at him and twirled around, wobbling as she did so, not being the most agile of children. As she looked up at him he noticed the trail of snot dripping out of her nose. Automatically Arthur's hand rummaged in his left gauntlet, pulling out a handkerchief he had stored there. Before he could wipe her nose Mordred wandered over, looking a little green around the gills.

"I feel sick."

"Who do you want, the snotty one or the sick one?" Arthur asked Merlin. Merlin plucked the handkerchief from his fingers.

"Snotty."

"Thanks," Arthur said. He took Mordred by the shoulders and carefully turned him. "Let's get you into a bathroom then. Why are you feeling sick? Have you drunk anything?"

"Just lemonade, I had a vol-au-vent eating competition with Gwaine."

Arthur rolled his eyes, pushing Mordred ahead of him.

"Walk slowly, and take deep breaths, what the devil did you do that for? I warned you about him."

"You said not to drink with him."

"And you'd think if I'd said that, you might be a little bit wary of getting involved in something like that," Arthur said, trying to sound admonishing as he spoke, but the grinning sort of ruined that. "Come on my little serf, let's get you sat down in a bathroom."

"I thought I was a knight's page," Mordred said.

"Fine, come on my little knight's page. Thanks Percy," Arthur said, taking an empty ice bucket, which Percival had pilfered from the bar, off the well-muscled man.

"Sorry, I couldn't stop him."

"He's thirteen, I don't think you can."

"Actually I meant Gwaine, who is of a similar mental age," Percival mused. Arthur sniggered again, getting Mordred clear of the crowds and up the stairs, moving towards the back of the house, thinking that one of the bathrooms there was liable to be quiet.

"Come on, we can sit in here for a while, and hope it goes away."

Mordred groaned but let Arthur sit him down on the floor, just by the toilet, to be on the safe side. The boy settled into a semi-comfortable position and Arthur removed his sword and shifted his chainmail about before he perched on the edge of the bath to wait it out.

"I'm never eating again," Mordred said. Arthur grinned.

"You'll get over it, just never ever be sick in the swimming pool."

"Ew," Mordred said.

"That takes a few shots of tequila though."

Mordred had propped his head against the cistern but he lifted it to stare at Arthur.

"You did that!"

"Actually, I made it to the bushes, four of my friends weren't so lucky. My father was not pleased. That's why we no longer use the pool for the party."

"I can imagine. How old were you?"

"Seventeen, not entirely old enough to know better."

Mordred giggled, before turning it into a groan and moving his head closer to the bowl. Arthur tried to look sympathetic, but it wasn't working very well. He laughed and Mordred rolled baleful looking eyes in his direction.

"You're evil."

"I'm not taking full responsibility for you being an idiot. If you're warned not to drink with someone, you should be aware an eating competition might have the same affect. Gwaine's innards are made of cast iron. He has never made for any sort of sensible combination."

Mordred giggled and then went pale, leaning towards the bowl, giving a little groan.

"Don't hold it back if you are going to be sick." Arthur advised.

"I'm okay," Mordred groaned. Arthur raised his eyebrows.

"We'll just wait and see."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Half an hour later, Arthur deposited a slightly better feeling Mordred on a chair on the edge of the main room.

"As this is not a Roman orgy, don't eat anything else, and just drink water."

"Okay," Mordred said, in a tone that told Arthur to take his Cheshire cat grin and go away. Arthur obliged, scanning the room. Elena had slipped away from Merlin and was now with Uther, insisting that he and all his business associates, who had been gathered in a group, admire her blue dress. They were all politely obliging the little girl. She spun round, wobbling a little but Uther looked ready to catch her if she fell. Arthur carried on scanning, finally spotting Merlin leaning back against a wall with Gwaine talking animatedly in front of him. About two or so metres to the left stood Percival, arms folded watching the pair of them, taking up the 'minding Merlin while Gwaine flirted' duty. Arthur's eyes narrowed deciding that Gwaine's body language lingered on the verge of pushing it too far.

The next moment the music changed to a slower tune. Arthur swiftly stepped across the room as Gwaine took Merlin's hand to try and get him on the dance floor. More than likely, Gwaine meant absolutely no harm whatsoever, Merlin and Arthur were devoted to each other, and everyone knew it. But Gwaine couldn't help but flirt, and Arthur entirely understood the reason why Gwaine wanted to flirt with Merlin. The problem, in this case, was Arthur's.

He had never felt such insecurity before, and he had no need to feel it. Merlin loved him and had no intention of leaving him. But that didn't always seem to equate with what happened in Arthur's head. The mere idea that Merlin might find someone else more attractive could entirely cripple Arthur's sensibilities, which could reduce him to a raving idiot, who had shocked Merlin on more than one occasion. That had become the reason that people now kept an eye on Merlin, because Arthur would, occasionally and mortifyingly, overreact.

Seeing Arthur's approach Percival put out an arm and eased Gwaine away from Merlin. Gwaine frowned at his friend, who nodded in Arthur's direction. Merlin turned and smiled, a little tentatively, while Gwaine gave his usual amiable grin.

"Damn, foiled again," he announced. "I'm not dancing with you," he added to Percival, who continued to hold Gwaine back. Percival gave him a steady look. Gwaine shrugged and went off in search of someone else to dance with while Arthur pulled Merlin onto the dance floor, with Merlin hesitating a little.

"Come on, stop being silly."

"I'm rubbish at dancing."

"Not with me," Arthur said, pulling Merlin into his arms. Merlin settled an arm around Arthur's shoulders, and intertwined the fingers of his other hand with Arthur's. Pulling him closer Arthur brushed his cheek against Merlin's running a hand up and down his back to settle him and after a few moments Merlin relaxed against him, following the sway of Arthur's body.

"See," Arthur said.

"No need to be smug," Merlin informed him primly. "Is Mordred all right?"

"Yes, and Elena was entertaining my father's friends, they are both accounted for, so we have five minutes to ourselves."

Merlin pressed himself harder against Arthur, who tightened his grip, dying to let his hands roam, but he carefully restrained himself. Something which Merlin noticed.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Arthur said.

"My point exactly, normally you're a complete pervert."

"You love it."

"I do," Merlin conceded.

"However, as a knight there is a certain code of conduct."

"Is there?"

"Which I have just made up."

"I hope to God this does not involve you clambering up the side of your father's house."

"No, we're in the wrong room for that. But I do remember two years ago, I was on a promise. I still haven't got to it. I'm fairly certain that I was meant to creep into your room, rose between my teeth and give my damsel in distress a good ravishing."

Merlin laughed, and then looked serious. "There was more than a little distress that night."

Arthur shifted position so he could gently kiss Merlin on the lips. He held him close, his breath light against Merlin's cheek.

"Not tonight though."

"So you're intending to keep your promise?"

"Most definitely."

"I'd better find my wimple then."

"And wear nothing but that."

Merlin smiled. "Pervert."

Arthur grinned. "I really think it has something to do with all this metal."

Merlin nodded, a serious expression on his face, but his eyes were glittering.

"We'd better put that theory to the test."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**April 2011**

"Here you go, this is your room,." Merlin said, leading the little girl in by the hand. She looked around the room, releasing Merlin's hand and running over to the bed, transferring her grip to the duvet.

"It's blue!" she exclaimed in a piping voice.

"Yes, if you don't like it, we can change it to something else," Merlin said.

Elena determinedly clambered onto the bed, rucking up her yellow dress, plonking herself down on the bed, bouncing a little.

"I like blue, water's blue!"

Arthur raised his eyebrows. Mrs Bartle had done nothing to play down Elena's problems. In fact she had done the opposite, highlighting them. Despite the fact she had fought to get them an opportunity to take the little girl she seemed to think they would give up as the others had.

"Yes," Merlin said, sitting on the bed next to her. "You like water."

"Firemen have water," Elena informed him. "They should be called Watermen. That's better."

Arthur listened carefully, the back of his mind going over the conversation he and Merlin had been involved in earlier.

"Many of the other families and couples tried, you're the sixth foster family to take her. I think you may have the resources to be able to assist her."

Arthur assumed that was time and money. They were rich enough, and their schedules could be easily rearranged, Arthur's especially, to accommodate anything. Neither of them were tied down by particular nine to five jobs. Much of Merlin's coursework he did at home and Arthur could move his timetable to fit around Merlin's lectures.

"And of course, you have a small but quite close knit family, who understand some of the things Elena may be feeling."

Again, the social worker wasn't wrong. Arthur had lost his mother, although he could not honestly say he was traumatized by it, he had never known her. But seeing the way Merlin and Hunith were, Arthur realised he certainly had missed something along the way. On the flip side, Merlin had never known his father, but had met him and lost him before he had got the chance to get close. And Morgana could be even more understanding of Elena's problems.

Despite the hints Mrs Bartle had given them, that they would certainly not be judged for admitting defeat, Arthur knew one thing.

Neither he nor Merlin had an inclination to fall at the first, or indeed any, hurdle that was put in their way.


	6. Chapter 6

**There are actually two Elena's in the story. Previously I named one of the social workers Elena. So she remains in this and I have two Elenas. Social worker Elena and demanding child Elena. Sorry if I confuse people!**

**May 2011**

Arthur let himself into the house, he had promised to be back early so he could keep Elena occupied and let Merlin have some peace, and get some sleep. It wasn't as if the little girl kept him awake, but dealing with her emotionally had been wearing on Merlin. He had taken so much of the responsibility, because he had somehow managed to get the little girl to believe him. Arthur had gained enough of her trust, but Merlin was the one she would always turn to.

However, as he arrived she came running out into the hallway, and Arthur braced to catch her if she stumbled. Thankfully she just landed against his legs, clinging onto his trousers, as she looked up at him he noticed her nose running again. It never seemed to stop, even though she never acted as if she was suffering from a cold.

"Come and look!" she ordered him in her piping voice.

"Okay," Arthur said, putting down his briefcase. Elena kept one hand firmly latched onto his trousers, tugging to keep him moving and Arthur had to shuffle along with her to make sure he didn't accidentally kick her as she dragged him into the kitchen. Arthur skidded to a halt as he saw Gwaine lounging at the kitchen table, drinking a beer and looking very comfortable. Merlin stood by the oven, cooking, and looking a little wary, possibly not entirely sure of Arthur's reaction at finding Gwaine there.

"Arthur! The bane of my life!" Gwaine exclaimed delightedly.

Arthur didn't get a chance to respond, Elena continued to tug, dragging him over to the breakfast bar. She clambered up onto the little footstool that Merlin had found from somewhere, which helped her reach the counters, so she could stand and help him when he cooked, or reach the bathroom sink when she needed to. As she steadied herself both her hands reached out, grasping the little mushroom shaped nightlight that Arthur had bought in the hope of helping her with her night-time insecurity.

"Look!" Elena exclaimed flicking the switch. As the bulb flashed on it projected little blue stars across the kitchen, the entire nightlight glowing blue. Gwaine grinned, looking very pleased with himself. Elena turned the nightlight off and then turned it on again. She turned her head to stare up at Arthur.

"Are you looking?" she demanded. Arthur reached out to pet her slightly scruffy blonde hair.

"Yes, it's very nice, well done Gwaine," Arthur said. Gwaine grinned at him, raising his beer.

"You may call me a genius."

"Fine, you're a genius," Arthur conceded.

"I said he could stay for dinner," Merlin added, he blinked owlishly as the steam from the nearby pan billowed into his face as he lifted the lid.

"Looking!" Elena ordered Arthur.

"I am," Arthur said, paying attention as she turned the light off and on again. She beamed up at him and Arthur decided he wasn't irritated by Gwaine staying for dinner, he could at least help entertain Elena while Merlin grabbed a much needed nap. Although it appeared that Gwaine had already done some groundwork by fixing up the nightlight.

"How did you do it?" Arthur asked, not turning his gaze to Gwaine as he asked the question. Instead he obediently paid attention to Elena as she turned the light off and on again, looking at the blue stars before glancing up at Arthur to ensure he continued to pay attention.

"Not a blue bulb, I couldn't find one of them for love nor money," Gwaine announced. "But I did find a sheet of blue light filter, so I opened it up and attached it in where I could. It will no doubt degrade over time but in theory by that point it might not be necessary." He watched Elena with amusement as she turned the light on and off, watching the blue stars as they appeared and disappeared.

"We'll see, thank you anyway."

"I aim to please," Gwaine said, grinning from ear to ear, turning to look at Merlin. "And that smells great. You don't let Arthur cook I take it?"

"Not a chance," Merlin said, looking into the hallway as the door clicked again. Elena heard the same thing, she turned off the light, stepped down and pushed past Arthur.

"Mordred! Come and look!"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**August 2011**

Arthur spent some time helping clear up after the party. Merlin headed off to put Elena to bed, now the little girl could happily sleep on her own, if she had the nightlight. It also gave time for Merlin to get ready. Arthur wasn't sure what that actually entailed but he got the feeling he would find out later.

As he and his father finally closed up for the night Arthur still lingered, his armour starting to irritate him a little, but he had to keep it on for the purposes of the promise. Then with a rose between his teeth he sulked his way down the corridor. He was almost to their bedroom when there came the sound of footsteps padding down the corridor. Arthur froze, not that he could actually hide himself. He didn't move as Mordred wandered past him, glass of milk in his hand. The boy hardly looked at Arthur as he ambled past, going to his own room.

"Night," Mordred said before disappearing into the room, as if Arthur skulking down a corridor late at night was the most normal thing in the world. Arthur huffed, and went a few more steps and then froze again as there was a clattering of heels behind him and he heard Morgana's giggling.

"I told you, quick Gwen!"

Arthur stayed still against the wall while a tipsy Morgana and Gwen ran into the corridor to photograph him. Arthur groaned through the rose stem and stayed still. He closed his eyes as they clicked their cameras, avoiding the flash. This was a good a gauntlet as any to get to Merlin.

"What is going on?" Uther asked, appearing from what appeared to be nowhere.

"Arthur's on a promise," Morgana giggled.

Hunith appeared from the doorway opposite the one Arthur was aiming for.

"Will you be quiet or you will wake Elena, and leave Arthur alone."

"If nothing else at least he isn't climbing up the side of the house," Uther announced. "With emerald coloured silk knickers on show," he added very pointedly to Morgana.

The door to Arthur and Merlin's room opened wide enough for a pillow to appear and be lobbed out into the hallway.

"Go away and stop ruining my ambiance!" Merlin voice announced, not raising because he was aware of Elena opposite, sharing a room with his mother so she wouldn't worry about being on her own. Merlin clicked the door shut with force, not slamming it, again with no intention of waking Elena. Hunith looked around and stepped back, carefully closing the door. Uther glared at Morgana and Gwen.

"As far as I am aware Arthur and Merlin have not had that much quality time together, so you have your photograph, now go away."

Gwen had the decency to look guilty. Morgana looked martyred. Uther looked at Arthur, still against the wall with the rose in his mouth.

"There is something to be said about clambering up the wall to the window. Goodnight son."

Arthur just waited, praying for it to end, until everyone had gone.

"For fucks sake!" he snarled through the rose and carried on to the bedroom, reaching out for the handle and slowly opening it. He stayed still for a few seconds, wanting to give Merlin enough time to get back as he wanted to be, before he slipped through the door and closed it behind him, giving a sigh of relief. He dropped his head back against the door and took a heavy breath, before lowering his head and nearly spitting out the rose at what he saw.

Uther never threw anything of sentimental value away. Arthur looked at his old dragon costume, now adorning a fluffy teddy bear he had won at a fairground stall years ago. The picture of him in his underpants and top half of his costume lay on the nightstand. Earlier that night Uther had found them both and handed them to Merlin without a word.

The dragon teddy sat on the chest at the end of the bed, acting as a guard for Merlin who lay sprawled out on the bed. Arthur clenched his teeth around the rose stem as he looked at Merlin. He was naked, carefully covered by the quilted bedspread and surrounded by rose petals. They were strewn across the bed, around the floor and the room had been lit by a few of the electric candles that Uther used for the ball.

"Oh my God," Arthur groaned.

Merlin's pale skin seemed to glow in the flickering lights. He had placed the patchwork cover over his groin and strategically flipped it over his right hip. But that was the only cover Merlin had. A long line of flesh ran from his outspread left arm, down his shoulder and torso to hip and Merlin exposed his leg from pelvis downwards. Arthur made sure he stayed very, very, still; to look at the sight he was given, before taking even the merest step forward. He couldn't stop looking. This magnificent creature had been given to him, and wanted him. Merlin lay there for his pleasure for him to take. Arthur could have been quite driven to his knees by that fact.

Before that, there was something he had to do. With great care Arthur drew his sword. The edges had been carefully blunted so he could carry it safely but it would work well enough against the dragon he had to face. Arthur put the point of the sword under the teddy bear's chin, making the dragon headdress wobble.

"Another time." Arthur drawled his voice still muffled by the rose. He lifted the teddy and moved it to the floor, putting the dragon out of the way. He placed the sword against a nearby cabinet and put his knees on the end of the bed. Then dropping down he crawled upwards.

Merlin didn't react. He could have been the most brilliant actor, because he never flickered or faltered during the moments they played these silly games. Merlin did like them to be perfect, and he didn't move, not one millimetre, as Arthur crawled up the bed, dipping his hips so that the edges of his chain mail brushed against Merlin's skin. He wouldn't rouse until the correct moment.

When Prince Charming gave his kiss.

Arthur smirked, dropping his head to drop the rose onto the pillow by Merlin's head and moving across brushed his lips against Merlin's. He gave a tiny reaction and then stayed still. Arthur went in again, increasing the pressure a little. Merlin gave a light response but went still again after a few seconds. Arthur pulled back and decided to change tactics.

He ran his gloved hand around to the back of Merlin's head, lifting his head before he brought his lips down and kissed Merlin hard. Merlin opened his mouth, meeting Arthur's tongue with his own. He responded to Arthur's grappling hand by lifting one leg and wrapping it around Arthur. They ground themselves together until Merlin moaned.

"We need to lose that bloody armour!"

"Yeah, unbuckle me here and there and then drag me out of the chain mail, then we are good to go."

"Oh, so that is how women in those days remained frustrated virgins. Get it off Arthur!"

"And why no woman ever objected to a being given a damn good ravishing," Arthur said, determined to comply.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**May 2011**

Arthur stirred as he felt something burrowing into the duvet. He turned and looked down at a shock of tangled blonde hair.

"Elena?"

"Want to. Where's Merlin?"

"Sleeping, come on, you clamber in and don't wake him."

Arthur got out of the bed to let her snuggle into the warmth he had left. Elena turned.

"And light."

"I'll get it," Arthur said. The night light had to go everywhere. Anyone that came to the house dutifully admired it and from it Elena seemed happier to stay in her own room. Still there were nights when she woke, and needed Merlin's presence. Although, Arthur reflected, she had never simply come to find him before. She normally sat in her own room and screamed for him. Going into Elena's room he unplugged the light and brought it back. Elena sat up in the middle of the bed waiting for him. Next to her Merlin still slept, he had suffered enough broken nights. She watched intently as Arthur unplugged the bedside lamp and set up the nightlight, turning it on and sending blue stars over the ceiling, and the little lamp glowed with a blue hue.

"Better?" Arthur asked sliding back into bed, so she was wedged between them. She wriggled down in the bed.

"Yes. Can I have a story?" she asked, lisping her words as she often did when she was tired. Merlin stirred, rolling over, mumbling something intelligible. Reaching over Arthur gently rubbed his hand on the back of Merlin's neck, moving up over his head, and across to his cheek, stroking him gently and knowing it would sooth Merlin back to sleep. Merlin settled, burying his face into the pillow. Elena watched carefully, looking up at Arthur.

"What sort of story?" Arthur asked. Since he was awake he might as well deliver it, and let Merlin sleep. Elena snuggled deeper into the bed, closer to Merlin. Merlin automatically moved to accommodate her, but Arthur's careful ministrations ensured that Merlin carried on sleeping.

"About a princess."

"Okay," Arthur said. "Once upon a time there was a princess, and she was the most beautiful princess in all the kingdoms of the world."

"What was her name?" Elena asked.

She did make story telling a rather hard task, as there were endless questions from her as they went along. Arthur, entirely used to this, didn't hesitate as he answered.

"Elena."

She beamed at him.

"Now there was an evil witch, who was jealous because Princess Elena was so pretty and loved by everyone."

"What was her name?"

It always ended up being very tempting, and Morgana's name sat on the tip of Arthur's tongue for a moment.

"Vivian," Arthur said. It wouldn't hurt to use that name. Morgana would certainly agree with that. She had locked horns with the nightclub's bar manager on more than one occasion.

"Now, the evil witch Vivian hatched a cunning plan, to get Princess Elena out of the way..."

Arthur carried on going telling the story of Sleeping Beauty talking in a low soothing tone until Elena's eyes closed and her breathing levelled out, making little snuffling sounds as she breathed in. Arthur transferred his hand to Elena's hair, gently smoothing it down as best he could, although it usually resisted all attempts to be tamed. After a few moments there came a mumbled voice from the far side of the bed.

"You tell quite a good story. I'd like more dragons though."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**May 2011**

Mrs Bartle didn't recognise the car as it pulled into a parking space, however she immediately recognised the tall, dark-haired man who clambered out of the driver's side. She had been more than a little surprised when Merlin said he would be attending the review meeting. Arthur had gone away to a conference with his father, and Merlin felt entirely confident that he could handle the meeting. The review often ended with the foster parents saying they couldn't handle Elena, and Arthur had already called the social worker to tell her that they were entirely happy to continue to foster Elena.

From the vantage point in the conference room she watched as Merlin got Elena out of the back of the car and then rummaged for something else. During that Elena clung to him to his legs a limpet, hanging onto him. Merlin had not as yet worked out Arthur's technique of carrying Elena while he did things. Plus Arthur happened to be much stronger than Merlin, and he was not about to give social services a bad impression by dropping her by accident.

Once he was sorted, leaving what he wanted on the top of the car he picked her up, gathered everything up and made his way into the building.

By the time he reached the second floor he had put Elena down. She came charging into the office, looking around at the familiar scene, lifting her nose and sniffing almost as if she was taking in the scent to reassure herself of where she was. Merlin wiped her nose just in case and then the little girl spied the worker who, quite coincidentally, shared her name and went charging over, holding something in her hands, which she slammed onto her namesake's desk.

"Look!" Elena announce, turning the switch. The nightlight did nothing and she pouted up at Merlin in consternation.

"You have to plug it in first Princess," Merlin informed her. "I'm sure Elena won't mind if you borrow a socket."

Social worker Elena reached over and unplugged her printer. It started to whir as it powered down.

"Oh, shut up!" she told it before turning to Merlin. "That will serve it right, it has been telling me it's been offline all morning, but it seems quite happy to print the test page."

"Watch when you turn it back on, it might decide to print everything you have asked for, in triplicate," Merlin said. "There, now it's plugged in you can show her now."

"Look!" the little girl ordered turning on the light, making the nightlight glow blue. Looking up she frowned.

"It's too bright to see the stars, Princess," Merlin told her.

"They're blue!" Elena announced loudly. "Look!" she demanded of a passing secretary. Elena turned the nightlight off and on again.

"Gwaine made it blue!"

"He did," Merlin agreed. "Are you going to stay with Elena while I talk to Mrs Bartle?"

The little girl looked up at him. "And tell them it will be a long holiday. Arthur said!"

"I know. You stay here, I'll be back in a bit. I'm sure there are a lot of people that want to see your nightlight."

Merlin raised his eyebrows at the social worker who smiled and reached for her phone.

"I'll ring round."

Merlin nodded and headed over to the office where Mrs Bartle waited.

"Mr Emrys."

"Mrs Bartle."

"Mr Pendragon called to say he couldn't attend."

"Yes," Merlin nodded, allowing the woman to lead him into the room, where two other people waited, staring at him intently. Merlin took a deep breath and composed himself. He could do this. They had already proven themselves. They would keep Elena.


	7. Chapter 7

_As I am getting a little stuck on some of the other stories I wrote this up to get my mind back into them. I will be back on the other stories soon. This story has shifted on a few years, scenes are dated as always. ;-)_

**January 2012**

Arthur was working on his latest spreadsheet, which required some concentration, but he wasn't getting that since Mordred was there. He was stood on the edge of the doorway to the study, just waiting. Arthur sighed.

"You know full well I am going to pay attention to you when you do that. And quite frankly you know better than to do that with me or Merlin. Don't stand there and stare at me. You want to talk, tell me."

Mordred took a step forward, crossing over the threshold into the office.

"You're adopting Elena?"

"Yes, you were there at the family meeting, you were there at the first meeting."

It wasn't quite so much a meeting where decisions were made, it was a time when Arthur and Merlin stated their plans. They had talked to Mordred privately before that. He was the closest involved and would be the most affected. They had spoken to Mordred to ask his permission in the first meeting, they had informed the rest of the family of their decision. Adopting Elena.

"You don't want to adopt me," Mordred said.

"Ah, I see," Arthur said, sitting back. "Okay, I think you deserve the truth."

Arthur watched Mordred tense.

"I asked Mrs Bartle about it, and it was better I got her, rather then Elena the social worker. Do you remember the Drakes, they took you in for a long while."

"Yes, then they sent me away."

"No they didn't. They looked into adopting you, and naturally your mother had to be informed. That was why you were taken away. They have to ask your mother, and she didn't want that. Mrs Bartle warned me that might happen if we try and start proceedings, and as good as the lawyers are that I could pay for this, it is too big of a mess to start with. You can come here any time you like, you can stay here for as long as you like. But if we do that, she'll invoke her right as your mother."

"I hate her," Mordred said.

"That's a bit strong," Arthur said. Mordred gave him nothing in return. Mordred just stared at him. Arthur couldn't blame him.

"I don't have that long, just a couple of years, then I can tell her, I can leave."

Arthur nodded. They could do nothing, but Arthur knew Mordred would make good on his threat. All he and Merlin were required for was to be there.

**June 2014**

"Happy Birthday you little shit!"

Mordred ignored his mother's boyfriend. However much he roared in the background. Mordred just calmly stuffed what he could into his rucksack. There was not much he wanted to take from the room, but he carefully lifted up the mattress to remove the letters and cards that Arthur and Merlin had sent him. The ones he had at least received, before his mother or her idiot boyfriend found them. He tucked them into one of the pockets to keep them safe and yanked the drawstring on the top, clipping down the clasps. He shrugged it onto his shoulders testing the weight. It didn't feel to heavy. Mordred had only packed what was essential and that was simply anything of sentimental value.

He didn't need to worry about much else. Most of his important stuff he had left at Arthur and Merlin's over a year ago and he very much doubted that they had thrown anything away. He hadn't seen them for all that time, but Mordred had calmly waited it out. The bag felt light enough, he knew his getaway would have to be sharp. He didn't want to be wasting time.

The thudding on the stairs caused him to tense, gritting his teeth, especially as the footsteps made their way directly to his door, and it flew open. There was a hole in the wall from where the handle had repeatedly slammed into it slowly breaking the plaster. If Gwaine ever saw the cheap walls in the flat he'd have a fit. Mordred turned to face his not-stepfather.

"Didn't you hear me?!" he bellowed.

Mordred stared back at him impassively, not responding. Instead he stayed where he was and watched the man carefully, since he was now blocking the doorway. Mordred had hoped to at least make it as far as the front door before the confrontation started, hopefully even past it. Now he waited while the man swayed, already drunk before it had even reached noon. At least his mother had managed to remain relatively sober over the last year, but in the end, Mordred knew, unless she really bothered to get rid of this man, then it would never change. And at least now Mordred knew, it was not a normal, it was not a normal family.

He watched as his not-stepfather frowned, his eyes going to the backpack on Mordred's back. Mordred saw the danger signs.

"Where you do think you're fucking going?"

"Out," Mordred informed him.

"No you're not."

"I am, I'm going out."

Mordred didn't make any move to the door. Not with the obstruction that currently blocked it. Time was, he might have just wound the man up until he laid into him, and enough noise was made that someone called the police. This time he didn't want to get held up in such a fashion. He shifted back as he assessed the situation, hoping to draw Valiant in to give him enough of a gap to dash past.

"And where have you got to go?"

Mordred's eyes narrowed. Valiant sneered, guessing exactly right.

"Those faggot foster parents of yours."

Mordred kept his face impassive at the insult. By the twisted smirk that developed on Valiant's face he had obviously given something away. However, it also gave him what he needed as Valiant lunged for him, aiming to grab hold of him. Mordred ducked, jumping up and running over his bed, the whole thing creaking ominously as he put his weight on it. He lost his footing as Valiant lashed out and got hold of one of the trailing end of one of straps. Mordred's feet slipped off the bed and he crashed down, almost onto one knee.

"You think you can just fucking walk out."

"I'm sixteen," Mordred said. "I can make the decision on my own."

He tried to pull away, as Valiant grabbed the top of one of the thick straps. Mordred snarled and lashed out aiming a blow into the man's groin, and he followed up by kicking out at his knee. Neither blow fell with much power, but it was enough of a distraction. Mordred jumped up like a sprinter off the starting blocks, wrenching himself free of Valiant's grip and he ran for the stairs. Mordred jumped from the sixth step up to the hallway to gain some distance as Valiant thundered after him. Lunging forward he grabbed the catch on the Yale lock and twisting it yanked the door. It shifted a few millimetres and then halted with a heavy thud. Looking down Mordred felt his heart stutter in horror. The lower lock remained on. He had forgotten about that, his mother probably locked it, or Valiant had before he had come up the stairs.

Mordred ignored the heavy boots and throaty chuckled from behind him instead he shot down the hallway and dived into the living room. It was one virtue of a ground floor flat, windows were easy to get out of, and one of them in the living room didn't lock, it never had. The only people that had used it to break in had been Valiant's drug dealers, when he had pissed them off, and on finding an eight-year-old child locked alone in the flat had taken the television and given Mordred a ten pound note, which he had carefully hidden away.

That had resulted in him being taken into care for the first time. The first time that someone had realised that perhaps they should pay attention to him.

And his mother had never got round to getting the window fixed.

Hopping up onto the nearby table Mordred flipped up the grubby net curtain and flung open the window, diving head first out of it as a swearing, enraged Valiant pursued him. Mordred felt the man's fingers catch the hem of his jeans but the momentum of his fall meant Valiant lost his grip lurching forward so his ribs cracked against the sill. Mordred rolled, trying to used his shoulder and keep the weight off his back, wincing as he squashed part of his backpack, but he came onto his feet gracefully. Turning his eyes widened as Valiant, swearing and hurling abuse started to follow him. Mordred didn't wait he flew across the grass, crashed through the bushes that made up the edge of the little area and launched himself over the iron railings.

As his feet hit the pavement he breathed a slight sigh of relief and he jogged across the road, still hearing, but blocking out, Valiant's abuse.

"Are you all right lad?" Mr Thomas from one of the houses opposite the flats asked. He was out pruning his rose bushes. He was a little old to really be able to do enough to make an impression on the tangled garden but he seemed to like making the effort. That was something Mordred found rather commendable, he had earned some pocket money helping the man, on and off.

"Yeah," Mordred said, risking a glance back. "Could I use your phone?"

Mr Thomas also glanced up, although he hadn't made it out of the window, Valiant had paused to watch the interaction. The old man knew the thug was quite capable of watching Mordred go inside and then come over to cause problems. Mordred realised what the old man was staring at and knew exactly the same thing. He knew the man would help but that would only cause problems for him in the long run, which, Mordred decided, wasn't fair. He could make his own way.

"It's fine, don't worry about it."

Mordred turned to head down the street. If he took the corner then he could take any number of turns, and Valiant would be lucky to catch him.

"Here, lad."

Mr Thomas held out his hand and Mordred saw the two pound coins he held out.

"Find a pay phone."

Mordred smiled, quickly taking the money before one final glance back. He looked up at Mr Thomas.

"Don't worry, I'll call the police if I have to."

Mordred flashed the man a grin before turning and running for it. He could still hear Valiant shouting abuse, and guessed that he had finally found the key and unlocked the front door, but Mordred was long gone. He kept running until his head pounded from the effort and sweat dripped from him. Slowing to a walk he rubbed his side as he felt a stitch starting to develop. He walked quietly down the street, and took a corner, heading towards the row of shops situated on the edge of the little estate. Where a phone box occupied a corner of the street. If it wasn't broken he could call from there.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

When he got there he realised the only number he could remember off the top of his head was the house number. There was no guarantee anyone would be in. He scrolled through his memory, but it remained blank on the numbers of Arthur or Merlin's mobiles, or at least the clear order the numbers should run in. He'd have to try the house, and if that didn't work, he could make his way into town and get to the bookshop perhaps. He could probably make his way to the house, but Valiant vaguely knew the address. He was quite capable of turning up there, and he didn't want Arthur, and most especially Merlin, having to deal with an enraged Valiant. It would be even worse if little Elena was there.

Mordred thought carefully. There were some days Elena went to Hunith's, because Merlin worked late at the bookshop. But Merlin's rota could have changed. Huffing Mordred slammed the money into the phone and dialled. He counted the rings, if it went past seven then the answer phone would kick in. Leaving a message might be futile.

It got to seven and he heard the click, Mordred sagged, giving an inward groan, then he jumped a mile as he heard another click. Before Arthur's modulated tone relaying the message could play Mordred heard Merlin's irritated voice.

"Hello?"

Mordred had to take a deep gasping breath before he could talk.

"Merlin!"

"Mordred, you all right?"

He had to take his time to further catch his breath. He eventually managed to stammer.

"I've left home, Valiant's pissed, in both terms of the word."

Mordred continued to gasp and rub his side to try and get the stinging pain of the stitch to subside. For a moment Merlin said nothing. Mordred's eyes widened at the lack of response, and his question, to which he thought he had known the answer to, came out tentatively.

"Can I come and stay with you?"

A refusal hadn't even occurred to him. His knees felt horribly weak, hardly keeping him upright. He dropped his forehead against one of the panels, the sudden cool feeling shocking against his burning skin.

"Where are you?"

"Erm... by the local shops, using the payphone. Valiant might be following, although I think I lost him. He might come looking for me though. I think he knows the address of the house!"

Where Merlin was. Where Merlin, presumably, currently happened to be alone. Mordred felt a surge of panic.

"Can you get to the bookshop?"

Mordred looked at the pound coin in his hand. It was not enough for bus fare, he didn't have anything else on him.

"I'll have to walk."

"I'm setting off now, will you take the main road?"

"Probably."

"I'm going to ring Arthur, then I'll head that way. If I get to the shop first I'll walk out and meet you. If you do tell them... never mind. I'll call and let Will know, he can keep you hidden if you get there first."

"Ok," Mordred said, tears prickling behind his eyes as relief flooded his sensing.

"I'm setting off now, I'll get there as soon as I can."

"Okay, right."

Mordred hung up, pushing open the door of the phone booth, his hand slippery against the smooth material. It took him two attempts to get the door open, his limbs felt weak, and he shook from the exertion. Mordred glanced at the pound coin, it probably wasn't enough to buy a bottle of water, he'd have to wait.

He stuffed the money into his pocket and started to trudge down the road, speeding up slowly. He had to get to Merlin, he had to make sure he had put enough distance between himself and Valiant. The last thing he needed was that man following him, while he headed toward Merlin. Mordred's jaw clenched. He had to get there quickly, he couldn't let Merlin face that. Arthur would probably be tough enough to handle it, but Merlin, far gentler in nature, could not be put through that. Ignoring the heat and aches and pains Mordred kept up the pace.

He did quite well at athletics in school but Mordred found the pace hard going. Occasionally he walked, but he kept going as much as he could, until twenty minutes later he crashed through the door of the shop. Very slowly it swung shut behind him the little bell jangling as it closed again. Two customers looked up and stared at him curiously. Will, on hearing the sound, came out to check, and he hurried across the shop.

"Mordred! Are you all right?"

"I ran most of the way," Mordred puffed and then he looked around in alarm. "Is Merlin here yet?"

"No, you beat him," Will said. "Come on, let's get you sat down. Gwen can get you a drink. Go upstairs."

Mordred turned and staggered towards the stairs that would take him up to the small little balcony area in the shop where Gwen ran the cafe. As he reached the top he slumped into a seat at the nearest table and Gwen came over with a glass of milk. Mordred slid his hand into his pocket.

"I've only got a pound to pay for..."

"Oh, shush now," Gwen said gently running her fingers through his sticky hair. "It's on the house. You look shattered."

Mordred didn't think he had the strength to lift the glass. Instead he pulled it closer to him across the tabletop and used the straw to take a deep gulp of liquid.

"Don't drink too fast, you might make yourself sick," Gwen warned.

Mordred didn't move his mouth from the straw but he drank at a slow steady pace, the cold liquid soothing his throat. His body still ran with sweat and he wiped his face again.

"I'll get you a tea towel, and another drink," Gwen said. She scurried off and Mordred kept his head down, trying to get his breath back. Using one arm he roughly wiped his forehead again. His heart still pounded in his chest in a combination of exertion and adrenaline.

He jerked his head up again as the bell over the door jangled again. His heart surged at the thought that Valiant could have followed him but Mordred sagged in relief as he saw Merlin dashing into the shop wearing a pair of ragged tracksuit bottoms and a stretched tee-shirt with a hole in the left side seam, indicating he had dashed out in a rush. He looked at Will and then as his boss pointed upwards Merlin spotted Mordred.

Merlin took the stairs two at a time. Mordred quivered, feeling an odd rush of emotion as Merlin reached him. It occurred to him that he had never voluntarily and determinedly made an effort to leave his home, he had always been removed from it. Now he had done it himself and Mordred felt quite baffled by the sudden shocking feeling of loss. The tears threatened again and as Merlin reached him, crouching down, Mordred's breath hitched and he threw himself on Merlin, wrapping his arms around him and much to Mordred's embarrassment, and Merlin's surprise, he burst into tears.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

It took Merlin ten minutes to calm Mordred down, and the youth wiped his eyes in a hurried fashion.

"Sorry," Mordred stammered.

"It's all right. Thanks Gwen," Merlin added as Gwen finally approached with a second glass of milk and a towel. Mordred wiped his face and took another drink of milk.

"Are you all right? He didn't hurt you or anything did he?"

Mordred shook his head. "No, he tried, but I got away. He might try and follow though, what if..."

It was not a what if. It was a fact as the door jangled again and Valiant stalked through. Mordred's head lifted and his eyes widened. Merlin's jaw clenched as the large man looked around, glaring at everyone and then looking up he locked eyes with Mordred.

"Stay here," Merlin said, or more accurately growled. Mordred froze in panic as he watched Merlin calmly stand up, glaring down at Valiant, who smirked as he watched Merlin ease away from Mordred and he slowly walked down the stairs.

"Merlin, don't..." Mordred hissed.

"It's fine," Merlin answered him, slowly turning on the staircase as he reached the half-landing and he walked down the rest of the flight, pausing three steps up. Valiant looked him up and down.

"And what do you intend to do?"

"Nothing," Merlin said calmly. "But you are going to leave."

"You can't make me, and I'm dragging that little brat home."

Merlin raised his eyebrows and shifted on the stairs as Valiant turned, intending to brush past him.

"But I'm not letting you take Mordred anywhere."

"You think you can stop me?" Valiant demanded squaring his shoulders. Merlin shrugged easing down the last few steps so he stood a metre or so away from Valiant. They were of a similar height so he could easily meet the man's gaze, and Valiant frowned at the cool, unconcerned look in Merlin's eyes.

"Not physically, I suppose, but I don't need to make it easy for you, but you do that and not only will you have Arthur out to get you, you can probably rely on Uther coming after you as well."

"And you think I'm scared of them?" Valiant snarled stepping closer so he was nose to nose with Merlin. Merlin held himself still, noting that although he appeared threatening Valiant didn't appear to want to lay a hand on him, he carefully kept enough distance so he didn't touch Merlin.

Valiant frowned as he noted the lack of reaction in Merlin. Merlin didn't feel the least bit intimidated. A few years ago it might have been the case, but certainly not now. It had taken some time on Merlin's part but despite his dismissals of it, it slowly started to dawn on him that he had been more than a little damaged by his relationship with Cain. The man had bullied him for years, until Arthur had come along.

Over time Merlin had come to realise that Arthur himself hadn't exactly been the most pleasant of people. Until Merlin himself had crashed into his life. The relationship had made them both very aware of their behaviour and Arthur had been determined to keep Merlin. Everyone that Arthur knew had noticed the significant improvement in his behaviour when he had met Merlin.

Having spent over five years in a relationship with Arthur, Merlin knew exactly how to deal with the bulky, slightly drunk man he was now faced with. Merlin didn't attack, he didn't back down, he simply didn't move.

"Whether you are scared or not is beside the point," Merlin announced calmly. "The simple fact is you don't have any authority over the situation, especially not of Mordred."

Valiant scowled, glaring up at the youth who watched the confrontation with wide eyes. He had half risen to go up and help Merlin but Gwen had held him back. She felt a little unsure what to do, so she scrolled through her phone for Arthur's number. Will had his hand on his phone wondering if he should call the police. Once glance from Merlin told him to wait.

"He's only sixteen, he can't leave."

Merlin raised his eyebrows. "Technically he can. You can go to court to force him to return, but I don't imagine any court actually agreeing to that, since as sixteen he is more than old enough to give them his own opinion. And he's not exactly going to end up on the street."

Valiant glared at him.

"I could just go up there and drag him back."

"No you won't," Merlin said his voice remaining icily calm, so much so that Will gawped at him in surprise. Merlin didn't move his gaze from Valiant's waiting for the man's response. He didn't seem to have one. Merlin didn't show any sign of aggression, to which the man could respond to, nor did he back down, which would have drawn Valiant on further.

"Mordred does not want to go anywhere with you, and I have no intention of letting that happen. Now just leave before my boss over there is forced to call the police. And I wouldn't get any ideas about turning up at my home and causing trouble, because I very much doubt that Arthur will take that lying down. And before you think about threatening me," Merlin snarled as Valiant opened his mouth to retort. "Bear in mind that I know more than enough people who are bigger and meaner than you, and not a single one of them with tolerate any harm you feel you ought to inflict on me."

Merlin could think up four people without any effort, Arthur and Uther for starters, Gwaine would probably join in, and Percival, normally incredibly placid, could be roused into anger with enough provocation. Valiant stared at him looking completely dazed.

"This isn't over," he snarled before backing up a few steps and spinning on his heel stalked to the door. Merlin raised his eyebrows as he watched the man crash through the door and stalk away, and murmured, almost to himself.

"On the contrary, I think it is."


	8. Chapter 8

**July 2014**

Mordred felt inclined to put it down to Merlin's extraordinary behaviour the previous month as he agreed to meet his mother. He had felt amazed at Merlin's calm, assertive behaviour. The oddest part, Mordred decided, was that he had been watching it for years, and not really noticed it's development. Now, as he sat in the cafe of the bookshop, he remembered his first day with Arthur and Merlin, and the panic Merlin had felt over the tutorial he had run for one of his classes.

Merlin now did that sort of thing without even thinking about it.

The whole thing had surprised Arthur as well, after he had come rushing to the bookshop on a rescue mission. Gwaine and Percival had downed tools to help as well, Leon then shipped up - having been called in by Arthur, and Lancelot and two of his fire-fighting colleagues had made an appearance. All of the burly, concerned men had looked baffled when Merlin had calmly informed them he had sorted it out and sent Valiant packing.

"He did," Will confirmed when looked at for confirmation.

"Any of you lot would have only made him worse," Merlin had announced.

"How so?" Arthur demanded, sounding irritated. An emotion, Merlin knew, which was born out of concern for him, which was why he didn't let it annoy him.

"Because you would have been exactly like this, and he would have just fed off it."

"This is the bad thing about him studying psychology," Gwaine announced in between eyeing up Lancelot's two friends. Percival smacked him on the back of his head.

"Hey!" Gwaine yelled. "You're not my wife!"

"You two would make such a lovely couple though," Arthur informed them. Percival glowered at him. The two firemen eyed Gwaine warily. Merlin smirked at them all.

"Enough of behaving like children," he ordered them and then turned to Arthur. "I'll take Mordred home."

"Do you want me to come with you? God help me but Gwaine can drive the car back."

"Or I can," Lancelot offered. "Gareth drove us."

"That," Arthur said. "Is a far better option."

Gwaine had snorted irritably. "I don't know why I bother with any of you!"

All that had somehow taken the edge off the incident. Now Merlin and Arthur sat on a table nearby while Mordred watched his mother climb up the stairs towards the little cafe. Mordred had chosen it as neutral ground, but he felt safe enough, and had been fortified by the last month's heavily domestic surroundings. The previous Sunday he had watched as Merlin cooked dinner, Arthur mowed the lawn and eight year old Elena had watered plants, then helped Merlin. Mordred had watched with a detached air, his equilibrium returning now things had settled.

It had been gratifying to return home to find nothing in his attic room had been moved or changed. For a year it had sat there, occasionally occupied by other foster children, but fundamentally it had remained his. Elena's reaction to the sight of him had been just as cheering; she had grown, her hair a little longer, but no neater, and her eyes had lit up at the sight of him and she had run towards him squealing his name repeatedly until she got close enough to fling herself on him.

The same settling feeling washed over him now as his mother sat opposite him, glaring at Merlin and Arthur sitting at a table on the far side of the cafe. Neither of them would react to that. His mother had objected to all of his foster homes in one way or another. For this one she had been swayed by Valiant's homophobic views.

Once she had finished glaring at them she looked at Mordred. They stared at each other for a moment, not speaking, just regarding each other. He didn't particularly resemble her, although the bleached hair altered her features somewhat, hardening them. He looked at the lines on her face and the dry patches of skin. She might have been pretty if she had looked after herself, if life had, in some ways, been kinder to her, instead of digging her into a rut which she appeared to like and had no intention of getting out of.

"Hello mum," Mordred eventually said, thinking they had to say something to each other rather than just stare. His mother stared at him and then reached into her pocket.

"I don't suppose I can smoke in here?"

"No, you can't, not in a public place," Mordred told her. She huffed and took her hand away from the pocket glaring at Gwen as she came over with a tray of coffee, cake and milk for Mordred. Without a word, and managing to perfectly cope with the glares, she set everything down and smiled at Mordred just about managing to encompass his mother into it.

"Enjoy," she said brightly before wandering away to collect Merlin and Arthur's order to take over to them.

"Patronising cow."

Mordred winced as his mother spoke loud enough for Gwen to hear, and also Arthur and Merlin. Arthur frowned but Merlin placed a hand on his arm and said something.

"I can't help it," Arthur said to Merlin's gentle chastisement.

"I know, but it's not our place to get involved."

"Merlin, we are involved."

"Yes, but only as support, not to interfere. Mordred asked us to be here but he is the one talking to her. Us being here makes him feel better."

"Plus if Valiant shows up again, you can scare him off," Arthur said.

"I wasn't scary Arthur, I was assertive."

"I'm proud of you," Arthur said. "You were no doubt right that none of us would have helped the situation."

"No, you wouldn't," Merlin said with a smile.

"But you are scary," Arthur said. Merlin frowned slightly and then smiled again as he realised what Arthur was talking about.

"That happened once."

"And it's never ever happening again," Arthur said.

"You were all sweet and puppyish when you came to bed. I wouldn't mind, I didn't mind, but it had only been two hours."

"In which you didn't speak to me, you were only polite while Elena and Mordred were about and then you ignored me," Arthur said. "I was so panicked I completely forgot what started it in the first place."

Merlin grinned. He did remember what had but didn't see the point in reminding Arthur.

"It just annoyed me, and I told you so."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"You just said you couldn't remember what had started it, how can you be sorry?"

"I'm sorry I ever mentioned it again. It is the thing to never been mentioned, and I don't want you cross with me again."

"I wasn't even that cross."

"You didn't speak to me for two hours Merlin, it led me to think you were furious. We didn't even cuddle on the sofa."

"Awww," Merlin said as Arthur pulled his lost puppy look. Leaning towards him he kissed Arthur on the nose.

"Cute," Gwen said as she brought them coffee, and Merlin his usual slice of chocolate cake.

"He is," Merlin said running his fingers through Arthur's hair. Arthur pouted. Merlin raised his eyebrows. "Winnie could perch herself on that lip, now stop it."

"So we are never mentioning the unmentionable thing again?" Arthur asked as Merlin tackled his cake with a fork. Looking up he smiled and then said through a mouthful of cake.

"What unmentionable thing?"

"Mum, don't be rude," Mordred said as he watched her glaring at Merlin and Arthur. They stayed absorbed in their own conversation, which looked intense but fond at the same time.

"They have no right to take you away, any of them!"

Mordred frowned as he looked at her. "Merlin and Arthur didn't do anything. Social Services took me away, Merlin and Arthur got stuck with me."

"Not this time. You're the one that's done it now."

"Yes, me. Not Merlin and Arthur, I just knew I could rely on them. Mum, all you do is get angry at other people, you don't see what you are doing."

"I looked after you, didn't I?" she slurped at the coffee and twitched as she looked around. There was no alcohol and nowhere to smoke.

"Sometimes," Mordred conceded. "When he wasn't about."

Droplets of coffee sloshed onto the table as she abruptly stopped drinking and glared at Mordred.

"You tried to ruin every chance I had with him!"

"Yes, I did," Mordred said, with more calm than he realised he was capable of. Merlin again, Mordred thought. "Because he was no good for you, he is no good for you. The only problem is, you like that, because it allows you so many excuses."

'And I'm bored of them,' Mordred thought to himself. That had been the one thing hanging about in his mind for years, for the years that Arthur and Merlin had been carefully dancing around him, and caring for him and treating him as if he mattered. They had not gone out of their way, they just did it.

"It's been hard for me."

"I know that mum, and it was easier for me, because I could get taken away. It's not you, not really. When he went away, to prison, that was fine, it was almost normal." Mordred felt his shoulders rise, in the usual way they could do, when he had to defend himself. He let them drop again. "You keep saying that Arthur and Merlin aren't normal, but they are, they love each other, they cuddle, they argue."

"They're both men."

"You're missing the point. You and Valiant don't work, it's not normal. I wanted to stay I wanted to try. I stayed, I wanted to try, but I can't, not any more."

"You couldn't wait to get away."

She had got to the point that she didn't care anymore, reaching into to pull out her packet of cigarettes and Mordred watched as she lit up. Casting his eyes around he realised that no one would stop her, although Arthur and Merlin watched while still talking, Gwen watched from behind the counter and Will glanced up, frowning but as Mordred met his gaze he nodded and went back to the accounts.

"I never said that, but I need time, I need... I've got my exams, I'm doing well and I know what I want to do."

"Work for him!"

Mordred chose not to rise to the snarl. "Yes, and it's not easy. I need to do well, I want to do well and I can, but I need to work at it, and I like it. I'm not saying that I want you out of my life, I just need more than you in it.

"I know when I say it that it sounds awful and dismissive and it's none of those things, but I can't have you, when there's him. He won't let you, and you let him not let you."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Acrimonious was probably a mild word to describe the conversation and it's ending. Mordred had ordered her to leave, even walking her to the door because he didn't want anyone else blamed in her eyes. He went back and sat at the table ignoring everyone for a good half hour while he exerted all his willpower into God knows what.

In the end he only realised he was crying because Merlin came to hug him. Mordred sighed and snuggled into Merlin's embrace. There were no comforting words, Merlin knew when it would be a waste, and the silence was nice.

Mordred had always put a good deal of faith in silence. When it was needed. It was a good strong virtue of Arthur and Merlin's that they never asked and never demanded. Mordred sighed into Merlin's shoulder.

"I'm all right."

"Do you want some chocolate cake?" Merlin asked calmly.

"No, I think I would just like to go home; if that's all right."

Merlin's answer was calm, precise and to the point.

"Fine."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**25 December 2014**

Despite the fact that Uther had, more than once, pointed out that he had more space to accommodate everyone at Christmas, they always went to Arthur and Merlin's. It meant people sharing rooms, and Gwaine inevitably crashing on the sofa with a sleeping bag, but even Uther had to admit that it seemed to add charm to the occasion.

With Elena, and even Mordred, in the house there was a need to over decorate, over cook and the house stirred with activity from about seven in the morning and didn't end until after midnight. Uther long ago ceased looking martyred as the house became crowded and found that he enjoyed it.

There were moments within it when he wondered, when he seriously allowed his imagination to wander and let himself think what it would have been like if Igraine had lived, and if Gorlois and Vivienne had been there for Morgana. Uther had put the effort into Christmas when the two children were small, but his heart hadn't ever really been in it. In the first few years of Arthur's life, Vivienne had been invaluable, organising, cooking and decorating. It made up for Uther's occasional snappish behaviour as he struggled to try and behave normally for Arthur, when nothing was normal. His son was growing up without his mother, that was nothing close to normal.

It had, over the years, left Uther wondering if he was damaging Arthur without intending to, without ever wanting to. He saw the way Arthur behaved, heard enough stories - as much as Arthur tried to keep them under wraps - and knew full well the reputation Arthur had acquired. His son considered to be a bully and a lout, and when confronted with some things Arthur evaded, but never truly denied. Uther blamed himself every time, again wondering if Igraine's gentler influence would have stopped those parts of Arthur's development.

Then Merlin had appeared, as if by magic, and Arthur had somehow, without seeming to really change, become a different person. As much as Morgana had riled at him for seeming to dislike Merlin, Uther had never felt any negative emotion for the gentle natured man whom his son adored.

True, Uther flinched at his son's sexuality, because there would never be a true Pendragon heir, but that did not mean that he didn't accept every part of Arthur as he was. Morgana would hopefully find someone who could control her raging emotions, and need, and help her settle down to produce a family.

But in the end Arthur had produced a family, the DNA of it was not his but Uther saw that Mordred was so close to Arthur, so close to being like him, and then little Elena who had been so vulnerable and damaged until Merlin had done so much to help her.

"Uther, do you want another drink?" Merlin asked tentatively, the bottle in his hand, although nervous around him he was quite prepared for Uther's melancholy downswing that seemed to occur at Christmas. Now his children had grown up Uther had felt prepared to indulge himself in that department. Now instead he thought that he really ought to pull himself together. He sat up a little and said.

"No, thank you, Merlin, I'm fine. Do you need some help?"

"Erm... no, I just needed to lay the table..."

"I can do that," Uther said, hoisting himself up.

"It's fine, I'm sure Gwaine can do it."

"Merlin," Uther said reaching out to put a hand on Merlin's shoulder. "I can lay the table."

Then much to everyone's sudden shock, amazement and surprise - most of all Merlin's - Uther leant forward and planted a kiss on Merlin's forehead. With a squeeze of his shoulder Uther moved away, as if what he had done was the most natural thing in the world.

It was, he did it with Arthur and Morgana. Hunith smiled to herself and got up to help Uther while Merlin wandered, slightly dazed, back to the kitchen to check on the turkey's progress.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**26th December 2014**

It was another Christmas tradition that Merlin slept in on Boxing Day. The previous day he always rose early, spent all day cooking, fussing and doing what he wanted to do on Christmas. He was always exhausted by the end of it. He didn't do it because everyone expected him to, Merlin loved it, even when he was so tired that he looked almost dead on his feet Merlin enjoyed it and no one could work out a way to stop him.

So, every Boxing Day morning Merlin got a lie-in and never roused before the brunch was cooked. Everyone else did that. Arthur was left with setting up duty, not cooking. But there was enough of them that they worked it out and everything got done, for Merlin.

He slipped from the bed, making sure that Merlin didn't rouse. Such caution was not necessary but Arthur did it anyway. After throwing on a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a tee-shirt he went downstairs and pushed the living room door fully open, it had been left slightly ajar to allow for Winnie's nocturnal wanderings. And she had made full use of it.

Another Christmas tradition was Gwaine. He had no family, and no ties, and from the first year that Arthur had asked him to come over Gwaine had never stopped appearing on Christmas day. In the end he was almost as much a part of the family as everyone else was. Plus he could be relied on to distract children, fetch and carry, and eat any leftovers like the human rubbish bin he was. Gwaine loved it. Arthur felt annoyed and harassed by Gwaine most of time, except when Gwaine dealt with a building and he seemed to possess levels of knowledge unto unheard of, but he felt sympathy for the fact that Gwaine had to cover his loneliness and he clung to Christmas, and Merlin, in a way that Arthur couldn't argue with.

As he opened the door fully and looked down at Gwaine Arthur snorted as he tried to contained the sniggers of amusement. Gwaine was awake, lying back on the sofa and at some point Winnie had come to sit on him. She lay on her side on Gwaine's torso, purring loudly as he rubbed her belly, and she had lifted one hind leg to give him access. Her head moved slightly at Arthur's appearance and she opened her eyes to look at him and then she closed them, as she went back to concentrating on Gwaine's ministrations.

"Your cat is a tart."

Arthur laughed.

"Are we setting up?" Gwaine said shifting a little but Winnie rolled with him and Gwaine carried on stroking.

"I am, but don't rush, Merlin will take ages to wake, and the others will be on hand in a while."

"Well, I can start cooking, as I am officially allowed."

Merlin had given Gwaine the go ahead to cook two years ago, and Arthur never heard the end of it, since it was one thing that Gwaine could do and Arthur's couldn't. Arthur rolled his eyes.

"I'll make come coffee for us first," Arthur said. "Do you want any painkillers?"

"Certainly not," Gwaine said, since he possessed an iron clad constitution. However much he drank he never seemed to be roaring drunk and never ended up with a hang over.

Arthur brought Gwaine his coffee five minutes later, Winnie's claws latching in and out of Gwaine's tee-shirt which made him wince occasionally as she caught his skin but he didn't remove her. She continued to purr loudly as Gwaine sat up a little easing her down from his chest almost into his lap.

"If I didn't know any better I would swear this cat is on drugs."

"Only catnip," Arthur said settling into the armchair and sipping at his own drink.

"So if we put the hostess trolley on before I start, we can do the sausages and bacon and leave them into heat."

"And the beans, we have mushrooms and tomatoes as well," Arthur said. "Although we need to aim it for about eleven. Gwen and Lancelot are coming over for half ten."

"Okay, so we have an hour of sitting together and me telling you just how wonderful Merlin is."

"Gwaine," Arthur snarled. "The only reason that bores me is the fact that I know it already."

"Still," Gwaine said, sitting up and lifting Winnie off his lap, he put her on the floor and looked up to smirk at Arthur. "Considering how horrible you are sometimes, there is no reason that I cannot remind you."

"You know Merlin doesn't mention that anymore."

Gwaine looked at Arthur closed his eyes, looking as if he was in pain. Winnie stayed at his feet and looked up at Gwaine, still purring, and he rubbed the top of her head.

"Merlin is far more forgiving than the rest of us."


	9. Chapter 9

**July 2014**

"Why?" Merlin asked.

"Mordred said he would cover your shift for an hour, this needs you, because I'd like you to agree with me, or tell me I'm wrong if I am."

"Where are we going?"

"Bayard's office."

"Why are we seeing your solicitor?"

"He's yours too."

"Only because I can't have one of my own."

"You make him sound like a lost puppy. Don't make solicitors sound like puppies Merlin, that's just weird."

"Arthur, nice to see you," Bayard suddenly announced. "I've never been called a puppy before."

"You'd be an Alsatian if you were," Merlin said.

Bayard smiled at him, holding out his hand to Merlin. "Mr Emrys nice to see you too."

"And only you would take that as a compliment," Merlin informed him as they shook hands and then sat down. Bayard smiled again reaching for the file on his desk.

"So, Arthur, you said you wanted to alter your will?"

"What?!"

"Merlin," Arthur said to still him down, taking Merlin's hand. "Just to alter it regarding Mordred. We can't formally adopt him, but he probably has as much right as Elena to any part of our estate, surely you agree."

Merlin looked mildly put out but didn't disagree. Arthur took that as a good sign.

"I also want to set up a trust fund for him, so when he turns 21 he can use it as he sees fit but give him access to a certain amount of money now. He is acting as an independent adult and should be treated as such. I thought a working amount of three hundred pounds a month."

"That's a bit much. What does he need to buy?"

"I think that reasonably asking him to pay a hundred pound of that as rent isn't far out."

"While we are also feeding and clothing him?" Merlin said.

"Not the clothing part, he'll have enough to do it himself. I want to make him independent."

"That's also making it a little too easy. Plus he appreciates what we do, giving him money to make him pay for it is silly, and don't doubt for a moment that he likes being treated like the teenager he is. That means we keep him and he follows the house rules."

"So, what do you think?" Arthur asked Merlin. Bayard picked up a pen ready to take notes.

"Eighty pounds a month, he's under our roof and we pay for that and he adheres to our rules and he knows them very well. With that money he can buy clothes, what he needs for school and he can manage the rest, and if he chooses to save some of it, then he can. But that amount will mean he has to think about it carefully."

Arthur looked at Merlin and then glanced at Bayard.

"It could be set up that anything he chooses to save can be put into a separate account, which you have no control of and the money is his to do with as he really chooses. If you wish you can still maintain control of the monthly allowance, but you release whatever he keeps aside for his own use."

Merlin hunched, groaned and glared at Bayard.

"I guess."

"What's wrong with that?" Arthur asked, surprised at the sudden negative reaction to Merlin's own suggestion.

"You know damn well he'll start saving for a motorbike."

"In which case, he can pay for his own lessons. Besides, we can always give him a car for his eighteenth birthday."

"Pointless unless he learns to drive one," Merlin said.

"He will if I let him learn in mine."

Merlin pouted, thinking of Arthur's blue sports car that got more repairs as time went on because Arthur didn't want to part with it, because he knew how much Mordred had always liked it.

"We could give it to him as a birthday present when he's 18?" Arthur made it a question, Merlin frowned, but also nodded.

"Maybe."

**26th December 2014**

Merlin ambled downstairs just before Gwen and Lancelot were due to arrive. He walked into the kitchen scratching his head, sending his hair spiking up and he wore the pyjamas that Gwaine had bought him for Christmas. Gwaine always bought pyjamas for Merlin and Merlin always wore them on Boxing Day. There were so many traditions now that Arthur felt that he had had Christmas with Merlin forever.

The pyjamas had been a panic buy the first time, when Gwaine had been asked to Christmas lunch at the last minute, after Mordred had been dragged away by social services and all their plans had gone up in the air. With his guard down and just Gwaine and Arthur there Merlin had opened the present, stared uncertainly and then looking up innocently said.

"I never wear pyjamas."

"Excellent!" Gwaine roared after a moment. "I can imagine you not wearing them!"

So the next day, Merlin had worn them, modelled them and Arthur had nearly dragged him off to bed, with Gwaine looking amused and rueful as he watched their antics.

And so another tradition was born. Merlin wore a newly bought set of pyjamas on boxing day. And the rest were piling up in a drawer like the beginnings of a pyjama museum. He wore them again occasionally, usually when he felt too lazy to leave the house and could amble around in pyjamas, safe in the knowledge he wasn't going anywhere. Gwaine now, each year, seemed to challenge himself to find the most garish, or silly looking, set of night clothes he could find.

"Merlin, you look ravishing!" Gwaine said loudly to a Merlin dressed in florescent snowmen and Christmas puddings. Merlin paused in the kitchen doorway and looked around his domain. However sleepy he looked no one was fooled, his eyes would not miss a trick.

"Sausages, bacon, beans, mushrooms and soon the tomatoes," Gwaine lifted the small frying pan he currently held, in which a pile of tomatoes were cooking.

"Very good," Merlin praised.

"I laid the table," Arthur said, glaring at Gwaine.

"That's very good too."

"That's Gwen and Lancelot," Morgana added as the doorbell rang. As he was nearest Merlin turned and wandered to the door, opening it up to find a beaming Gwen and Lancelot on the doorstep. Gwen held a covered dish in her hands.

"I brought waffles, and pancakes," she said in delight. Lancelot held up a jar.

"I've got syrup."

Merlin watched the pair of them as he stepped aside to let them into the house and he smirked in a very knowing way.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Merlin had been forced to kick Arthur several times as he poked at the waffles and pancakes on his plate. Gwen flitted around like she was in heaven, not saying anything but speaking louder than words in every action. Merlin looked around and realised that no one knew what she was about to say.

He had the advantage of knowing that they had had dinner with the required sets of parents the night before, but despite that Merlin realised that no one had still worked it out. He clamped down hard on his tongue and kicked Arthur under the table again.

"I don't like sticky food!" Elena announced stabbing at the pancakes.

"Don't eat them then, have some not sticky sausages," Mordred said. Merlin looked up and Mordred smiled at him, his secret, happy, smile. Mordred mostly spoke to Arthur, that preference had been clear since they met, but Mordred had always looked at Merlin and seen something. Merlin had not always felt sure of that look but Mordred held him no malice and Merlin often thought that simply lay in the fact that he was Arthur's and things of Arthur's, in Mordred's mind, were to be revered. Now Merlin thought that it was not as simple. In this case he smiled back as he realised Mordred had worked out what Gwen was about to say, which she suddenly yelped loudly.

"We're getting married!"

She lifted the silver chain around her neck and displayed the ring to much oohhing and Morgana screaming.

"Oh my God!"

Morgana got up to look at the ring, examining it as if she were an expert.

"White gold, very classy!"

"I like silver," Gwen said, turning to glare at a beaming, proud Lancelot.

"I was not going to give you a silver ring for our engagement. That was a compromise."

"Very nice," Uther said after a simple glance at the ring, his tone of voice telling everyone that 'nice' didn't cover the cost of the item. If Uther approved then it was expensive and well worth it. Far more worth it, as far as Merlin was concerned, was Arthur's expression of shock.

"Wow!"

"When's the engagement party?" Gwaine asked.

**31st December 2014**

Arthur knew he had done everyone proud. The VIP section of the club had been set up perfectly. Years ago it had simply been a haven for his business associates, but over the years it had become more welcome to his, and Merlin's, friends. Gwen always had an invite and Merlin had, his first year, been able to hang out with Lancelot, who was also new to the whole thing. As the years went on Arthur hadn't argued when Will, Freya, and Elena - from Social Services - had been invited. Mrs Bartlett had politely declined but Merlin guessed she appreciated being asked. If nothing else it showed her that the two men she had so staunchly backed as foster parents appreciated her back.

Hunith was present this year because Mordred said he would babysit little Elena, and he was old enough to do that, and earn a wage for it. Mordred had shrugged and smiled as Arthur said that. Mordred didn't do such things for any gain, other than the fact that he became part of a family, a family he wanted, in doing so. He would sit up with Elena, then put her to bed and stay with her, then sit on his own for the rest of the night.

Merlin worried about that. Arthur didn't when it came to Mordred being on his own. He knew how alike he and Mordred were, and Arthur understood the need for that level of calm, keeping your own company. For the moment, Arthur felt calm revelling in the silver balloons and banners that Vivian had put up in the VIP lounge area to celebrate Gwen and Lancelot's engagement. He could order them but he would have been helpless when it came to picking the colours and schemes. Sometimes it baffled him, he looked at a house and knew what to put where, and then little things like this he missed completely.

Thank God, he thought - and thanked a lot - for Merlin, who knew what to do when it came to these things. Arthur smiled as he thought that. He and Merlin did each other proud really, when they worked it out.

It seemed entirely fine until the moment that Uther grabbed Arthur's arm and hissed into his ear.

"What is that man doing here? I would have thought better of you than to invite him!"

"Who?" Arthur asked but his question was answered as Uther turned him at the same time so he saw the dark haired man lingering at the bar. He lounged against it, assessing the room, his gaze pausing on the balloons and banners, looking sarcastically amused by the whole thing. As he caught Arthur's eye his smirk increased and he raised the champagne glass in greeting. Arthur felt like exploding and passing out at the same time.

"I don't know!" Arthur hissed to his father, also turning away to wave a hand at Vivian, who was serving in the VIP area. Arthur could only be thankful that Merlin had drunk enough champagne to lose his shyness and allow Morgana, Gwen, Hunith and Lancelot to drag him down onto the dance floor, so it gave Arthur time to get rid of his unwanted guest.

"Are you all right Arthur?" Vivian asked.

"Viv! How did he get an invite?"

"Oh shit!" she snapped. "I just sent the list! I've put people on it but... fuck!"

It was a clear sign of the stress she suddenly felt that her language deteriorated so dramatically.

"I don't think I've ever needed to erase anyone! I think he's still on it. He left the country, he was hardly going to come back just for a new year's eve party. I'm so sorry Arthur, I just forgot."

"Don't worry about it," Arthur said with a sigh. "It's not your fault. It's my invite list, I should probably check it. Most people that I don't want coming are probably tactful enough to stay away. I'll deal with it."

He gave Vivian a comforting pat on the shoulder and eased himself away from her and Uther, crossing the room he assessed the unwanted guest, who could, it appeared, easily claim that he had been invited. Not that Arthur wanted him here, he certainly didn't want him anywhere near Merlin. As much as Merlin could read between the lines to understand something of Arthur's darker nature, this man could make that ten times worse.

"Hello Cenred." Arthur spoke with what he thought was an amazing amount of calm, all things considered. Cenred continued to lounge against the bar and he sipped at the champagne in a carefully controlled way, that gesture told Arthur Cenred had no intention of getting drunk and relaxing, he was here to stir up whatever trouble he could.

"Arthur."

"You look... well."

Cenred smirked and Arthur ground his teeth. This was not a conversation he wanted to have and he had started it all wrong, and he most certainly did not want to say that Cenred looked good. He did, Arthur couldn't deny that. It was one reason that he had gone into business with him, and also taken Cenred to his bed. It had been mutually convenient, and the sex good. Arthur couldn't argue with that, although he might try to.

"I thought you were still abroad."

Cenred grinned. "As you can see I'm not, and as I got your invitation I thought I'd come and see you. Why not?"

Arthur's eyes narrowed. "Because if I had known you were on the list I would have removed you."

"I'm sure our split was not that acrimonious. And there is still the matter of our contract."

Clenching his jaw Arthur spoke through gritted teeth. "I think we can consider that null and void."

"I'm afraid it's not, and considering some of the clauses, it might be rather costly to extract yourself from it."

"I'll have Bayard check it over as soon as possible."

"I wouldn't bother, my lawyer has already done so, and by the look of it you made it very watertight. Although at that time you really didn't want me getting away."

Arthur fumed, but said nothing. Cenred looked around again, smirking as he looked at the balloons and banners.

"So, who's getting married? It's not you is it?"

"Gwen, Morgana's friend," Arthur said having no intention of explaining his current relationship to Cenred, who probably already knew some of the story. They had mutual contacts and acquaintances, it wouldn't take much for Cenred to find out about Arthur's five year relationship with Merlin. To Arthur's satisfaction Cenred looked quite irritated at Arthur's refusal to rise. If Arthur was honest that probably had something to do with Merlin and his rather calming influence.

"I have heard that you have been somewhat domesticated."

Arthur frowned, glowering at Cenred, but he felt no inclination to rise to that comment. Despite the attempt to make it sound insulting Arthur didn't think it was too far off the mark. He had wanted Merlin, and on getting Merlin had wanted to keep him, wanting to be with him and enjoying the life he had made with him, that they had made together. Arthur didn't want to tell Cenred about that, for one thing, he didn't think his former boyfriend would understand it.

"You've been asking around before you came here."

Cenred shrugged, glancing around the room. "I didn't really need to, quite a few people have told me about your new little toy."

"Merlin is not a toy!" Arthur snarled, fists clenching. He couldn't help reacting when it involved Merlin. The entire time they had known each other it had been that way. Arthur overreacted, protectively, obsessively and irrationally. Merlin certainly didn't need it, he could talk for himself, and defend himself in his own way. That didn't stop Arthur and although the rational part of his mind told him that he was giving Cenred what he wanted Arthur didn't care, he would protect Merlin.

"Sorry," Cenred didn't sound it. His eyes glittered as he watched Arthur rile.

"You've been away for nearly seven years, a lot has changed."

"Even you by the sound of it."

Arthur stayed calm, exhaling gently as he saw Leon discreetly enter the VIP lounge. He didn't move over to the pair of them, but he made sure that he shifted in Arthur's eye line, to let him know that he could be called on if required. Arthur didn't need him, he could handle Cenred, but quite possibly those that knew Arthur, and how he had been round Cenred, didn't want Merlin seeing anything, or having Arthur react in a way that might upset him.

"You could say that," Arthur said deliberately relaxing. "So, have you come back to England on business?"

Cenred looked chagrined at the sudden change of subject, but he went with it anyway.

"I think I have achieved what I can where I am now, and thought that revisiting some old contacts might be profitable if I returned here."

"And you thought you would drag out our old contract. I'm sure it had a time limit on it."

"I know that it doesn't."

Arthur snarled, but caught sight of the group returning and he backed up. Even as he reacted he knew it was irrational and stupid and he had done nothing wrong, or at least what he had done was history, years ago and Merlin wouldn't see it as anything else, but as Gwaine had once commented, 'when is Arthur ever rational when it comes to Merlin'.

"Well, that is something for a more appropriate time. Feel free to enjoy some more free champagne, if you will excuse me, I do have a party and business to run."

Arthur made his escape around the bar, collaring Vivian on a ridiculous pretext of checking the stock levels. Leon watched in confusion and drifted over to the group just entering the area. Morgana jerked to a halt, staring in shock.

"Bloody, fucking hell! Who let him in?"

Merlin looked at her and then to the dark-haired, dark-eyed, man who was attractive if you liked that sort of thing, which Merlin didn't. However, he got the feeling, as he watched Arthur move off, looking busy, but not really being so, that Arthur had at some point.

"Come on Merlin," Morgana said protectively, moving to flank him. Merlin couldn't be that easily deterred. He kept his eyes on the man, and also an overly busy Arthur.

"Who is that?"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**1 Hour Later **

It took Merlin a little while to shake the protective ring of people but not a single one of them could argue when he went to the bathroom. Lancelot had gone five minutes before, Gwaine was distracted by a sequined Elena from Social Services, as her name and title now ran; and Percival didn't dare move as Merlin glowered.

As he left the cubicle he found Cenred washing his hands. Merlin went to do the same and looked up to find Cenred staring at him via the mirror. Cenred smirked and Merlin straightened up, shaking droplets of water from his hands. Merlin turned his head to stare Cenred in the eye.

"I hope you are enjoying your evening," Merlin said calmly opening the conversation.

"Very much so now."

"Really," Merlin drawled, he turned to go over to the hand dryer, deliberately turning his back, taking his time, feeling more confident as the seconds ticked by. When he turned round Cenred had turned to the other dryer, and he looked annoyed because Merlin could make his escape, should he choose to.

Cenred then looked confused as Merlin decided not to. He waited until Cenred had finished.

"And why would that be, because you want to tell me some dark secret of Arthur's?"

"You think that's the case?"

"I know Arthur, I can observe him from a mile away and know exactly what is going on in his head. He didn't want to talk to you, the last thing on this Earth he wanted was for me to see him with you. And I guess you are just here to cause some kind of trouble."

"That's a little unfair."

Merlin smirked. "Since I am not wrong in that assessment, I fail to see how it can be unfair. Now if you will excuse me."

He did try to leave. Merlin didn't really care, Arthur would explain himself eventually and that would be all Merlin needed. Arthur wouldn't lie, he might hedge a few truths but Merlin could work around that. He made it as far as the corridor before he heard Cenred coming after him, quickly enough to move around him, putting his arm out and pressing his hand to the wall to block Merlin's escape. Merlin paused, a cold spot formed in the pit of his stomach, and it took two calm breaths to settle the rise of his old fears, of Cain, and of what that type of person was capable of.

"It's not as simple as that."

Merlin raised his eyebrows, assessing Cenred carefully. He might try and intimidate but he wouldn't lay a hand on him. If he did that he'd have to face Arthur's wrath, and ruin whatever connection he wanted, plus, Merlin thought angrily, he was not about to be bothered by this. He exhaled heavily and braced himself, he didn't move back he eased into Cenred's personal space and assessed the braced arm locating the place he would need to hit to cause maximum pain. Cenred seemed to realise what Merlin was doing, his arm retracted and he stepped back slightly. Merlin would still have to brush past him to get away but the way was no longer blocked. However, Merlin stayed still.

"Why not?" he eventually asked Cenred.

"You might have to ask your boyfriend that."

Merlin tilted his head while smirking. "I won't need to ask. Arthur will tell me."

"And you'll just take that?"

Merlin huffed a short, breathless laugh.

"How about we have this conversation after I've spoken to Arthur?"

It was a question that appeared to conjure Arthur up, he came through the door from the VIP area at speed, clearly knowing that Merlin had come this way, on his own. He paused as he saw the pair of them, his shoulders hunching in a way that revealed his nervous tension. It was something that Merlin exclusively caused, and by now Arthur should have known better. But it had become an accepted fact around all of them and Merlin smiled at the thought, of how ridiculous Arthur always was over him.

"If you will excuse me, we are celebrating with friends."

Arthur blinked at Merlin's tone, which seemed to hint that Cenred understood none of those concepts. Merlin brushed past Cenred and walked to Arthur. As he looked at him Arthur's stomach burst with that warm feeling that Merlin had always caused in him. It had started as something protective, and had grown from that. Arthur always felt amazed to look at Merlin and could think, Merlin was his, Merlin loved him.

Warts, angst and ridiculousness included, Merlin, without doubt, loved Arthur. He probably had, Merlin decided, from the first moment he had laid eyes on him.

That sudden revelation wiped out anything that Cenred could come up with.


	10. Chapter 10

**4th January 2015**

"Sir, the Pendragon group are here to see you," his secretary announced over the intercom. Cenred blinked in surprise, he had only been expecting Arthur. Across the room Morgause, his lawyer, raised her eyebrows in speculation.

"Maybe he's brought the boyfriend."

Cenred huffed and pressed the button to reply. "Thank you, I will be there in a moment."

"How long will you make them wait?" Morgause asked. Cenred glowered at her. "Did you really think that you would waltz in and knock this little twink off his pedestal?"

"No," Cenred snarled. "He couldn't domesticate Arthur more than he already has, even if he put him on a lead."

"Why are you so bothered? Because he walked away from you?" Morgause. "Or just because someone has him instead of you?"

Cenred didn't answer, it was probably none of the above and also all of them. It had been years since he and Arthur had had any dealings with each other , business or personal, but he never expected Arthur to be inclined to settle down. He presumed them to be similar in that respect. Cenred supposed things could change over the years but it had surprised him, especially when he had met Merlin and on seeing him couldn't quite understand how the hell the dark-haired, skinny boy had managed to catch someone like Arthur.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Morgause smirk which only raised his ire. He turned to glare at her.

"I'm not bothered about Arthur."

The brightening smirk on her face meant that she knew otherwise, and was entirely right.

"I want to make money off him."

Morgause raised her eyebrows and shrugged, she again flicked through the copy of the contract that Arthur and Cenred had devised years ago.

"I can't argue the thing is watertight, you are guaranteed to get the investment from that sector of his business, and from what I can see from the information at Companies House the business is in good shape. You can exercise your right to have the contract honoured. I just fail to see why it is so important, and if it is just business why you would be so bothered."

Even as she spoke Morgause knew the answer. Cenred simply didn't like being beaten. Although the situation was not exactly a competition Cenred would see it from that perspective. Morgause didn't care either way, she got paid to do a job, so she would just do it.

Cenred stood up and stalked out, opening the door and walking away from Morgause. He paused in the corridor as Arthur looked up and taking his appearance as an opening stood up. Behind him the two people sat reading also stood up. Arthur smiled as he looked at Cenred, and indicated to Cenred's office.

"Shall we?"

Arthur knew he had off-footed Cenred. He intended to do that every step of the way. Merlin wasn't bothered. Merlin had come face to face with Cenred and not been intimidated. In fact Merlin had been almost casual about it.

"This was before me, way before me," Merlin had said in the early hours of the New Year. It was quite prophetic if you wanted to look at it that way. They had talked about it minutes after Big Ben had heralded the 1st January 2015. It seemed a good time to get it off Arthur's chest and Merlin took it with casual aplomb, simply saying, "This was when you mixed business with pleasure, when it was convenient to have sex with the businessman next door."

"I don't think it was quite like that Merlin."

Merlin had shrugged. "Whatever. Point being, why are you beating yourself up. You have a past, so have I. You're not being unfaithful to me if you have to be in business with this guy. I don't think you are going to shag him the moment you have a...whatever. Arthur, please be less ridiculous."

Arthur was trying to be that, but it hurt, it hurt to look at his mistakes. They were before Merlin and because of them he didn't want to get this wrong, because this was now he had Merlin, and Merlin was important, and he didn't want to do something to embarrass himself, or make Merlin thing that he was stupid. Not that he could do that.

"Thank you for coming," Cenred said. "I don't know if you know Morgause, my lawyer."

"I don't think so, nice to meet you," Arthur smiled and extended his hand. That was most definitely a Merlin move. Morgause looked intrigued and met his hand, shaking it firmly.

"You too," she drawled. Arthur straightened up.

"Can I introduce my sister Morgana and my foster son Mordred. Morgana is taking over the entertainment section of my business structure and Mordred is setting himself up as my heir so both of them have a strong vested interest in this negotiation. Once the basics are sorted then you will be dealing with Morgana, I am passing this part onto her."

"Of course you are."

"I am."

"And Mordred won't get a look in, I'll pass this onto my own offspring," Morgana snarled at Arthur, but her eyes darted regularly to Cenred.

"Good, I have other things Mordred can manage," Arthur said smoothly. "For now he's learning, so I like to bring him along to these things, when he has the time, around school."

"We're not a training facility," Cenred snapped. Arthur looked surprised.

"I don't see why not? I am looking into apprenticeships at the moment since Mordred wants to take up my level of business, and also I have Gwaine who could train people up in the building trade, and I'm hoping to find a way to work on helping the people in Social Services."

"That's is so Merlin's influence," Morgana said.

"Yes," Mordred told her from Arthur's far side. "And me, and Elena and you and Gwen and Lancelot and Uther and... everyone. We're like a children's cartoon."

Morgana stuck her tongue out at him. Mordred grinned.

"Enough," Arthur said. "Shall we sort this out. I have spoken to Bayard and I know he contacted you," he turned to Morgause. "Cenred has no claim on the current nightclub I run, our contract was a proposal to set up further clubs in the hope of pooling our resources and creating a chain. My club is successful as it is, so I know what works, but that one will remain independent of any further ventures, should the worst happen."

"I have various locations in consideration. Two of them are already clubs that just couldn't make a profit, but they were not run effectively," Cenred said. "I was thinking to start with those, using whatever skill you had to keep yours going, and then work on from there."

"Fine. However, most of that is Morgana's skill. And her return on the initial investment is what we need to start up this venture so she will have final say."

"Because I was right," Morgana told Arthur.

"Yes, you were," Arthur conceded. He looked up at Morgause and Cenred. "Morgana knows the market, she's part of it, she just chose what she liked as a customer and it all worked. Now she just needs to learn how to take business decisions, and the best way for her to see why I made my decisions is to see them in action, or even make mistakes herself. With you and me backing her, she can't go wrong."

Arthur smiled at Cenred. As much as he hated to admit it, the contract was good, could make a good deal of money and set Morgana up in a well established business.

"So, shall we have a look at it?" Arthur asked.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

As much as Arthur wanted to hate her, he couldn't dislike Morgause, she had a business mind, and he trusted her to do what was best. He also got the feeling that the blonde woman liked Morgana, who was tactlessly vocal but kept the woman's interest. By the way her eyes were moving Arthur made assumptions, also noting that Morgause didn't sport a wedding ring. That meant nothing regarding the inclination he was assuming and it was impolite to assume and even more impolite to exploit it for business purposes. Merlin would be cross if he did so, especially using Morgana in the middle of it. Also Merlin would point out that his assumptions could be wrong. Arthur stopped assuming and looked over the roughly drawn up business plan.

"I think this is workable. For Morgana's sake I want to stay on as a partner, and nothing can be done without my say so, but I don't think it will go wrong, all of us want this to work and..."

And Arthur stopped the moment his phone played a tune. He scrabbled into his pocket and pulled out his mobile.

"Sorry, I had better take this..." Arthur ran from the room.

"Merlin?" Cenred asked with a smirk.

"No," Morgana said with a glower, still looking over the notes. Mordred glared at Cenred.

"Social Services," Mordred announced scathingly. "It's important, and Arthur doesn't ignore that."

"I have to go," Arthur said a minute later as he came back in, his phone was still in his hand and the call still active. "George's mother is back in hospital, they need someone to take him and she might be there a while. I need to deal with that. Morgana, can you drive Mordred home?"

"Yes, fine, do that. We can do this."

"I have final signature. Take minutes," he ordered Mordred. "I will look them over and query anything suspect but I think you can finalise the agreement today. I need to get to George. I'll call Merlin on the way."

"Go, fine, whatever," Morgana said still reading, Arthur ran from the room. "He loves that doesn't he?"

"Oh, yes," Mordred said. "That's a bit weird in the contract what is that meant to mean? Third parties cannot benefit from the contract, or whatsit here..."

"That means people not involved in the business venture, so if Arthur tried to pass on profits to you, that would violate the contract. Morgana is legally bound in the venture, and she can take in profits. The contract on the first club is similar, Arthur has say so, and can put money back into the business but can take no profit for himself. That goes exclusively to Morgana. But Arthur holds the purse strings, as it were, which he cannot exploit to his own ends," Morgause said. "That's protects her rights as it would each person involved in this, in this case, Arthur is extracting himself, he holds sway over where the money might go within the club, but won't go beyond that. Profits are exclusive to Morgana and Cenred.

"Right," Mordred drawled, staring at the long winded clause again. "We still need to let Bayard look at this."

"The Alsatian," Morgana mused reducing both her and Mordred to giggles. They both paused as Mordred heard his text alert. He pulled his phone out.

'Taking George, annexing games room, you don't mind'.

"No I don't," Mordred said. Morgana looked at her phone.

"I'm vibrating too. I'm driving you home, which we knew, and we are picking up pizza, when we leave, we let people know."

"Cool," Mordred said.

"Is that all you care about?" Cenred asked.

"Arthur's priorities have changed," Mordred said. "He's done making money, he won't stop, but now he wants something to do with it. Merlin makes him see that point and they have children to do that for. I'm guessing you don't see that point."

"What, a nice little wife and two children?!"

Mordred nodded calmly. "yeah, that."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Hi, Elena."

"Nice to see you," she said, presenting her polite face. "Considering this, we have called George's father, but he can't make it back for a week at least. They always had this arrangement and he just needs looking after now and..."

"And dad's career is more important than his child?" Arthur murmured. Elena gave a murmur and a shrug.

"He does care, he does pay and comes to see him whenever he can but, yeah, I think he is married to the army. Never George's mum and it's not his fault."

"No, poor guy," Arthur said watching as Merlin wrapped his arms around the little boy. His mother lay in the bed.

"They have sedated her for the time being. She had a fairly bad turn and George called the paramedics. I don't think she's coming out from this and he knows it. If they can try and do something to ease her pain but George's father may decide to pull the plug, or may listen to what's being said."

"Any chance of doing anything?" Arthur asked.

"You can get a specialist in, it might make George feel better, but I think even he knows. What we need to do is find out if...?"

"Yes, we can take him, when his father is not here," Arthur said. "Mordred is not technically a foster child and he's happy to ship out to my dad's if needed. My dad doesn't mind, I think he likes the company. So we do have two rooms free, George doesn't mind sharing with Mordred in the attic rooms anyway."

"I think, for the time being, Mordred stays. Company and comfort, Mordred's kind of good at that."

"Just because he doesn't advertise his heart, doesn't mean to say that Mordred doesn't have one. Let's face it the fact that he came out the way he did is..."

"Sort of down to you."

"No, Mordred was already like he was, he just couldn't show it. He still doesn't. He cares and he finds it painful, so he tried to stop, and maybe Merlin got to him in time."

"I think more you," Social Services Elena said.

"No, most definitely Merlin."

"Can I see Mummy tomorrow?"

"Course you can, Arthur will bring you?"

Arthur was free that morning so Arthur nodded. "Without a doubt. Does your mum still like pineapple?"


End file.
